Snow White Queen
by Grace of the Feathered Pen
Summary: I stomp down the rain-slicked street as I make my way to my chosen destination. My clothing clings tight to my wet body, and my hair is plastered to my face. Still, I do not think of the consequences to come from my actions, but rather on the task ahead. I knock on his door, and he looks surprised to see me, but not as surprised as when I throw myself at him, kissing him furiously.
1. Innocent For Once

_**Snow White Queen**_

_Stoplight, lock the door_

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><p><strong>Saturday August 23rd 2014 5:59 am<strong>

I am woken again from another tortured night of sleep by yet another erotic dream. The same porcelain skinned woman haunts my mind to this day. Ever since I met her when I was six and she was four, I have been obsessed with her. She was, still is to my understanding, best friends with my enemy, which should automatically classify her as my enemy. To my immature brain she was. I bullied both of them, and to really make things clear, I called her a worthless sidekick to a pathetic nothing. In a twisted way, I enjoyed tormenting her. As clear as it is to me now, I never understood then the exact reason why I felt the need to pick on her. Her best friend deserved it, but she had done nothing to me.

The day she began developing a woman's body, every man began paying attention to her. She had everything a man wanted in a woman; large breasts, slim hips, round ass, and an attractive face to look at. Everything about her was slender and exotic. Her dark black, long, silky looking tresses, her deep scarlet eyes, the way she could make a man cry for mercy in less than five seconds. She was intimidating, but kind and clever at the same time, with the wisdom and heart of a mother. Every man went through at least one period where they had a crush on her, and if he didn't it was most certain he was gay. She even caught the attention of some women, making them bi-curious at least. She was everything I ever wanted in a woman and still is, however, there is one flaw.

She is hopelessly in love with my enemy, Cloud Strife.

And the idiot doesn't even know. Sometimes, I feel like I am the only one that knows, because besides Cloud, I know her the best. Or at least did. After I graduated high school and took on the care taking of my nine brothers and sister, I haven't had much time to actually make amends with her. Granted her stubbornness would most likely get in the way of her acceptation of me. I really fucked up big time, and I regret it every day since then. Hell, I haven't even seen or heard a word of her since I graduated and the thought just about kills me. I keep hoping that one day I might run into her on the streets or something, but to no avail. It seems to me that she just dropped off the radar since 2012.

I push the covers off of my body and am met with a little problem. Sitting there for a minute, I stare at my lower regions for a minute before whispering, "damn," to myself, and stand up to head to my shower. I set the water to near freezing temperatures, and strip my pants clearly revealing my large erection and the rest of my naked glory. Pushing the sliding doors to my shower out of my way, I step in and quietly close the doors behind me. As soon as the frigid water hits my heated, sweaty body, I hiss before settling in, allowing my body temperature to grow accustomed to the cold. Right away, I set to work of ridding myself of my embarrassing morning wood while thanking the lord that I wake up way before any of my siblings. I groan in pleasure as my right hand snakes down and grabs myself, before I begin pumping myself. The image of the angelic woman rests naturally in my mind as I jerk off. Finally, I release my load, while moaning her name.

"Tifa."

I watch as my come floats down to the drain and then disappears from my sight altogether. It is taking much longer to find release, as just plain masturbation isn't cutting it for me anymore. I need something more physical, but the thought of another woman is unappetizing. My life would have been significantly easier if I just found her body attractive, and thought of her as a childhood crush, or a one-night-stand at best. But no, I had to fall in love with her for her personality as well, because it seems that my life was too easy before. Tifa Lockhart; A beautiful name, for the most beautiful woman. The thought of her name eases all discomfort away. Sometimes I have this foolish wish that the thought of me would bring comfort and security to her as well. Sadly, I know this would not be true.

I start scrubbing roughly through my long silver hair with my shampoo, raking my fingernails deep and hard, hoping to rid myself of this torment. Many mornings now I am forced into the same routine: wake up panting and covered in a sheen of sweat, get in shower, fantasize about my childhood crush, relieve myself of my passion in less than innocent ways, leave the shower with a newfound guilt. Why do I feel guilt about doing something that men often do? I'm twenty years old and owner of my own estate, not thirteen years old and afraid my parents or pesky siblings will break in at any moment.

I rinse the suds out of my hair forcefully, and replace it with smooth conditioner. I apply a generous amount considering my hair ends past my rear. In order to take a break from my miserable mind I decide I should think about what to do for breakfast. After some debate of whether or not I should go to the café about thirty minutes away, or cook breakfast for my family, I decide to go to the café, and leave the cooking to one of my more culinary enhanced brothers. I step back into the steady stream of water, feeling the droplets run down my body, creating different trails before landing on the marble flooring with their brethren. The soft patter of falling water hitting the ground echoes throughout the shower, and I am pulled into a dreamy lull, where nothing, not even Tifa, can invade my thoughts.

When I finally get out of the shower, the time on my clock reads 6:26 am and I give myself a small smile for managing good time, despite my rebellious body this morning. Drying myself off with a freshly washed, fluffy towel, I head to my room to pick out a suitable outfit for today; In other words a tight blue t-shirt and some light grey slacks. I pull on some grey socks, and slip on my black loafers over that. I begin towel drying my hair so that it will cease creating a puddle at my feet. I carefully run a brush through my hair to avoid hurting myself with whatever snarls I managed to acquire over the night, while restoring it's silky qualities. I let my hair fall back into place, landing above my knees.

Deciding that I look suitable enough, I leave my room and exit through the door of my very large house quietly, as to not wake the rest of my household. I do not leave a note behind, as my brothers know me well enough to assume that I will always return later in the day. As soon as I walk outside, my nose is perfumed with the scent of roses, and my eyes gifted with the sight of a beautiful sunrise. The temperature is very comfortable right now, especially for August, however the sun has not fully risen, so the heat hasn't come rolling in yet. Despite this, I decide to walk to the café even though it is a considerable distance away, the weather in Radiant Garden is gorgeous, and nearly no one else is awake yet.

The walk takes about a half an hour before I stand face to face with the King's Crossing, a quaint little coffee shop that never seems too crowded, but has enough business to pay the bills. I enter the brick building and I am met with a nicely decorated interior, with a theme of pale green, ranging from the couches in the corner, to the cushions on each of the dining chairs. I make my way over to the barista, a tired, but pleasant looking man that looks to be around the age of nineteen. He offers me a bright smile that might combat with the sunrise I just had the glory of experiencing.

"How can I help you, sir?"

"One coffee, black, with one of those cheese danishes if you would."

"Coming right up." The timing of the man's, whose name I learned to be Mario from his nametag, was impeccable. He managed to get my coffee and danish to me before I could count to a minute, and they are both still hot enough to make it seem like they are fresh. I pay the man the proper amount, and even leave a tip behind. I glide over to my usual seat by the window, take a newspaper from the rack they offer, and take my seat. I begin raking my eyes over the black and white pages, inhaling the fresh scent of printer ink that clings to the paper; I find a story that catches my interest. The caption reading, "The Six Kingdoms Considering Revival of Monarchy", easily draws me further into the story I discover that there was once an official monarchy in those four countries, but it fell apart for undetermined reasons, and officials are currently trying to find the heirs to each of the thrones.

There is already discussion on handing Hollow Bastion over to the current mayor, Mickey, as there are no known heirs to that throne. However, the only lead to the heirs to the Radiant Garden and Land of Departure thrones is that they may be related. There is almost no lead to the Destiny Islands other than the fact that the heir is alive. I continue, completely enraptured in the story that I fail to notice more people file into the small coffee shop. They are not the one's that bother me, as they speak in low murmur. What does interrupt my reading is the slamming of a hand on my table, successfully rattling the plate and cup that sit on top of it. Some of the still-hot coffee spills over the edge and onto the table, and I am about to give the person a piece of my mind, when I look up and my voice catch in my throat.

There standing in front of me, is my known adversary, but love of my life, Tifa Lockhart. Her long black hair is tied elegantly in a bun, but a few stubborn strands managed to escape their hold and frame her beautiful face. Her crimson eyes stare angrily at me, currently scanning my face trying to find something of importance I am assuming. I try to say something, but nothing comes out. She glares at me, but even her face twisted in anger is a turn-on. There is just no way she cannot look good.

"Sephiroth." She growls like a feral cat. Her voice is as silky and smooth as her hair and skin, I'm assuming still. She has not changed completely, other than gaining more mature features, as well as growing a couple of more inches. I do not let my eyes travel any further like I wish I could, but focus on making eye contact, so she has nothing else to be angry at me about. I don't even know what I did.

"Tifa. Long time no see." I curve my lips up slightly, but my charm isn't working at the moment. She doesn't look pleased at what I said, and I honestly don't know what I did to piss her off so. She even goes as far as shiver at my smile and send more animosity my way.

"Cut the crap, Jenova. Just leave me alone!" I blink slowly at this, thoroughly confused. The smile melts from my face into one of tight-lipped confusion. My brows scrunch together in thought. I haven't seen her in two year, so what could I have done recently to piss her off?

"I'm afraid I'm not following. I haven't seen you in two years." I look around the coffee house and see Cloud Strife sitting not too far away, glaring at me. I send a glare back his way, before I stare at her again, my face unreadable, or so I think.

"What, you haven't really thought that me and Cloud hadn't seen you everywhere, have you? We see you at the grocery store, the park, the movies, now the coffee shop, too? Just stop being a creep and go crawl back into whatever hole you sleep in." She turns and stomps back to her table, sitting across from Cloud, but sending a final glare in my direction for good measure. I, still very confused on what just happened, take a sip of my coffee before returning to my paper. The cheese danish, which is always fabulous in my opinion, tastes very bland today, and the coffee tastes more bitter than usual. Maybe I am coming down with something.

I try my best to ignore the heated glaring contest I am getting from a couple of tables over, and once I am done with my coffee, danish and paper, I leave the way I came. Not even bothering to give into the temptation of looking back at my long time enemy and romantic interest, I pretend they aren't even there. As much as it kills me to admit to myself that Tifa still hates my guts, she has noticed me around when I haven't even noticed her. My heart flutters slightly. After two years, I have seen her again, and apparently she is wherever I am. A brand new light shines on me, as I walk down the street. All previous weight on my shoulders has seemingly been lifted by that one tense conversation.

I promise myself now, she will be mine if it's the last thing I do.

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong> So yes, this is Tifa and Sephiroth story. I am in love with Tifa, and I just recently (today) realized how beautiful he actually is. Next chapter will be in Tifa's view. Please review so I know how I am doing. My younger sister is my editor and I need to know if I am actually doing a good job. Also, it should be known that there is some yaoi in this story, and it should also be noted that I am considering the possibility of male pregnancy? Both of which do not affect the two main characters, Tifa and Sephiroth.


	2. Guilty by Association

_**Snow White Queen**_

_Don't look back_

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><p><strong>Saturday August 23rd 2014 7:32 am<strong>

As I make my way back to my seat across from Cloud I am just discontented and furious, more than I was when I first noticed him in here in the first place. How dare he have the _nerve, _the _audacity, _to play coy? He is anything but innocent and I know this. But when I looked him in the eyes, those stunningly gorgeous cat-like teal eyes, he didn't show signs of lying and even looked genuinely confused. _Deceiving bastard._ He has probably lied so many times he's at the point where he can lie flawlessly.

My fair-haired best friend stares at me in concern, face remaining stoic, but eyes revealing a passion his words cannot express. I have a natural talent for empathy, which is only further enhanced by my ability to cleverly read emotions through eye, but the ability only improves through practice, and with _Cloud_ _Strife_ practice makes perfect. Cloud never outright says what he wants, or feels for that matter. He has a talent to always remain straight-faced, but there is a way he expresses his emotions; through those breath-taking cerulean eyes.

Those beautiful cerulean eyes I get to stare into practically everyday. _My_ blue eyes. They belong to no one but _me. _My precious treasure forever, and mine alone. It may sound possessive, I am quite aware of that fact, but the truth of the matter is that ever since we were little he has always been my best friend. We grew up together, did everything together. It is not surprising that I may have developed a little crush on him. That developed further into love. I am in love with Cloud, my best friend whom I have fallen hard for.

"So?" The deep monotone voice of the blue-eyed beauty across from me breaks me from my train of thought and forces me back into reality. A reality where he is not my knight in shining armor and I am far from a damsel in distress.

"So?" I respond curiously, forgetting our conversation prior.

"So, what is the scarily natural silver-haired mutual enemy of ours doing following us around _everywhere?"_ His voice gradually changes into more of a hiss as he gets deeper into the sentence, to which I just roll my eyes.

"He claims he has no idea." I glare over my shoulder, becoming even more furious as I notice he has gone back to reading his paper and drinking his coffee as if nothing happened in the first place. When I sneak a peak at my companion, he is _very_ clearly trying to kill the older man with his eyes.

_"No idea?" _He seethes, speaking through clenched teeth, veins looking like they are about to pop out of his neck and forehead by the way he is straining himself. "No idea that he has been to every fucking place that we are, every fucking time? No _idea_ he claims? Bullshit!" A mother turns around to glare at us as she presses the palms of her hands against the ears of a child. What are they doing here this early?

"_Excuse me, _sir. Please, for the love of all things merciful and holy, keep your voice down and curse somewhere with your hoodlum friends when there are no children around. _Thank you."_ Her face is red, almost as red as Cloud's, and she looks like she is about to erupt when Cloud only rolls his eyes and continues to mutter profanities in a lower voice.

"And you-" _Me? _I turn my head to acknowledge her, and keep my cool as her fiery blue eye squint until the blue almost disappears underneath slit eyelids. "-Keep your boyfriend under control."

"Oh, no he's not my-"

"-She's not my girlfriend, you hag."

"_Cloud!" _He winces at my angry tone; ice cold, furious blue eyes meet passionate red as we commence in a stare-down. After what seems like several minutes he gives in with a grunt, and I respond with a cocky smirk as I cross my arms over my chest.

"I'm sorry, miss." He mumbles, not daring to look her in the eyes. I look over to see her reaction to his apology, but now her anger has seemed to turn on me again.

"And you, miss."

"Yes, ma'am?" I cautiously raise an eyebrow, wondering what she has found wrong with me now.

"I highly _suggest_ you cover yourself up more." And with that, the wicked witch of the east storms through the entrance, tugging her son roughly by the hand, mumbling something under her breath that I couldn't quite catch.

"Yuffie said I looked fine this morning..." I say quietly to myself as I quickly check myself. I put my hair up today because it is supposed to get very hot and humid later, and because of the oncoming heat I also decided to wear a thick-strapped black tank top, and jean shorts. I don't really see the problem. I suddenly hear another grunt and I look up at Cloud with wide eyes. He shakes his head and rolls his eyes before leaning back in his seat, taking a sip of his coffee.

"One, you look fine." I feel my face heat up a little bit, as I know this is Cloud's way of saying he thinks I look pretty. "Two, why are you taking fashion advice from Yuffie?" I know that my sister is a little eccentric one might say, but she does have very keen senses, I trust her judgment. "Three, that woman was just finding something else to bitch about. And lastly, number four, tall, silver, and creepy is leaving." I turn my head to the side to see that Cloud is right. I watch him leave the café and frown when he doesn't acknowledge my obvious scowl. A phone rings to my side and I hear Cloud pick it up, answering quietly. I try not to listen into the conversation, but I have nothing better to do than sip my coffee and gossip.

"What, Yuffie." My sister? "Yeah, later... Now?... Why now?... Listen, Yuffie-" He lets out a growl for what I assume is because he was interrupted. "I am hanging out with Tifa right now... Yes your sister... How many other Tifa's do you know?... That was rhetorical... I don't even know the guy... Yeah, I guess... _What?!"_ Oh my god. What did Yuffie say to get him that pissed off fast. "Now I don't want to... No... No... _No!" _Oh, he is growling now, that is never good. "Fine." How does Yuffie do it? "Give me some time to get ready, and finish with your sister here... _Holy shit, Yuffie! That's not what I meant and you know it!_... I hate you, so much." And with that, he hangs up.

"You have to go somewhere, Strife?" I look at him innocently as I watch him stand up from his chair and stretch his back and arm muscles. I bask in the glory as his muscles flex involuntarily.

"Yeah, your so-called sister is making me celebrate this guy- whom I have never met before-'s birthday. Come on, I'll walk you home."

"Kay." I step away from my chair, pushing it back in behind me before following my best friend through the entrance. A little bell dings cutely behind us as we are now outside in the sun once more with the aroma of roses surrounding us. "Oh, I forgot to ask. How is the family doing." He turns his head to look at me passively before groaning and slipping a hand through gravity defying hair.

"Oh, Tifa. I don't know what to do anymore. You have nine siblings. That's it. And you're not even legally in charge for their well-being. Rude is. I have twenty-five brothers and sisters under my care. It's so stressful! School is starting soon, thank the lord for that, but I will still have to take care of Link, Basch and Zidane! And then with all the opposing schedules! I have work, Rufus has work _and _college, and then Terra and Tidus have preschool on opposite days! Tifa, what am I going to do?" He looks at me with broken and hopeful eyes. A lot has been put on Cloud when his mom and dad died in an tragic house fire. To take care of all the children, since there is no other family and he is the oldest, Cloud dropped out of college to single-handedly take care of all twenty-five siblings. The poor guy is only nineteen-years-old.

"Cloud Strife, you need to pull yourself together. Be strong for them." I say in a stern tone a teacher or sports coach would, maybe even a mother chastising a frightened child. Then I soften my voice to fit my line. "And you know to call me _whenever_ you need me. If it is two o'clock in the morning, I don't care. I will be there. But, considering you have Rosa as a maternal figure in the house, you're all set, right?"

"No, Rosa is doing most of the chores. Laundry, and cooking, and a lot of cleaning. I ask for more help, especially from Roxas and Ventus, not really Rufus since he has a lot on his plate, but they don't really listen to me. Not to mention I think something is wrong with the twins."

"What's wrong?" I ask, worriedly. I have not seen Roxas and Ventus in a while, and the last I saw them they were slipping away. They seem like their last bit of happiness has been swallowed by darkness after recent events.

Cloud gives a little chuckle. "What isn't? I can't describe it. You would have to see for yourself." I hum a little. It has been a while since I have seen the whole Strife bunch. In fact, if I am truly correct on this, Cloud is the only one who I have seen in months.

"How about Naminé?"

"Still won't speak. Still draws horrid pictures. She doesn't mean to, and when she draws something bad enough to actually give her flashbacks, she will silently cry. Then she'll only cry harder because she is reminded she cannot speak." My heart breaks at this. Poor little Naminé has been struck mute ever since the fire that killed her parents. She is currently learning sign language so that she doesn't have to write down everything she wants to say. She carries her sketchbook around with her at all times, I hear. The beautiful pictures that once took place are now replaced with gruesome images of death and monsters.

"Cloud. I have an idea." I say with such extreme confidence that hope shimmers through his eyes and past his stone featured face. "I am going to get these children in shape. I will help Rosa with the chores, babysit when you need me, and get everyone to help out. I will even talk to the twins for you and find out what is happening. I could start by getting everyone to go to these sign language classes so we can understand Naminé." Proudly, I straighten my back and put my fists on my hips and chin held high.

"That would be amazing. Could you?" I nod my head at this. I can do just about anything I put my mind to. Twenty-five children may be a lot, but I love kids! And kids love me. Not to mention I can be scary if need be. If Cloud can be their father, I can be their mother. I mentally slap myself on the wrist. Badly worded. I will be a maternal figure. I love those children with all my heart, and I will do absolutely anything for them, as if I really were their sister, or even their mother.

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><p>Author's Notes: Yeah... Sorry for the wait. Busy life right now. Stupid junior year... Well, anyway, chapter two! Woo! Honestly, I was going to leave it at chapter one for a while, but I got a little inspiration from someone for reviewing *wink, wink.* Well, anyway, please review to tell me if you liked it! It really helps to get the process going faster.<p>

**Halcyon Eve: Thank you so much for your review! It means so much to me! I am going to claim you as my first review since the other one was just my lame sister excited that Tifa was in the story. You have no idea how excited I was to find out that someone other than Hope (Katie) reviewed one of my fics. I hope you enjoy this chapter, too!****  
><strong>


	3. Story Time

_**Snow White Queen**_

_Undress in the dark_

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><p><strong>Saturday August 23rd 2014 8:25 am<strong>

"So, uh... here's your stop, I guess." Cloud stops at the front of my beige house, standing on the worn-out welcome mat beneath the red door. He scratches the back of his head nervously in anticipation, for what I can only guess.

"Cloud, do you want to be spared from my tyrannical sister for an hour or so more and help me with a couple of my chores, followed by vegging out on my couch watching outdated television shows and or movies?" He removes his hand from his spiky golden locks and inclines his head slightly in a nod. I open the door and step inside the dimly lit house. Without looking at him I know what question is forming in his mind right now. "Rude and Tseng are at work, Yuffie is out, but you know that, and Vincent, Laguna, Reeve, Shiki, Gladiolus and Lulu are here, I think." I walk over to the kitchen to get us some snacks only to find a sticky note on the fridge.

_Whoever sees this,_

_Reeve, Glad and I went out to the arcade. Be back at dinnertime._

_-Laguna_

"Never mind, Cloud. It's just you, me, Vincent, Shiki and Lulu." I decide to leave the sticky note on the fridge since we might be leaving again anyway and I wouldn't want Rude and Tseng to come home to half of their family missing. I check to see if the ten dog bowls are filled with water, and then move on to the three cat bowls. Cloud comes around behind me and wordlessly begins filling the empty ones with fresh water, even going as far as to drop an ice cube in them for the poor dogs in the summer. Their coats are thick, and that isn't their fault. Damn Alaskan Malamutes.

"Do you mind if I fetch Twila?" I turn around to find Cloud staring at me anyway. I try not to blush under his heated lingering stare. He shrugs his shoulders, but stiffen as if saying _please try not to let them all in again. It's hard enough to handle one malamute._ I nod my head in understanding at what was left unsaid and walk around back to the sliding door that separates the inside from the outside.

"Twila!" I call to my dog, immediately raising the attention of the nine other dogs. They all curl back their lips in a smile and wag their tails in excitement, but stay put as Twila pushes past them from the furthest part of the yard and trots forth up the steps and into the house. As soon as she catches a whiff of Cloud, all previous obedience is forgotten as she runs and launches herself at him, jumping around him excitedly until finally she settles for setting her paws on his shoulders while trying to lick his face.

"Cloud, did you see Katie in here before?" He shakes his head as he tries to avoid puppy licks and kisses. Sighing, I walk down the hall, leaving my friend at the mercy of my dog in search of my cat. "Here, kitty kitty!" I call down the hallway and push into my room. I hear a grumpy sound coming from the direction at the furthest end of my room. On the scarlet covers of my bed sits a large ball of white fur, uncurling itself from its body and stretching. Letting out a big yawn it flashes it's canines, and claws as it extends its paws forward.

"Hey, Katie. Miss me?" I ask her as I run a palm lovingly down her side and finish with stroking her chin and scratching behind her ears. She purrs loudly and I manage to gather her large body into my arms completely. She purrs louder still and rubs against my arm as I carry her out of my room and back down the hall. Once I am back inside the living room, I find Cloud sitting on the couch while Twila pretends she is a lap dog. I have to admit I am slightly jealous of the sight, which is very ridiculous, to be jealous of a dog.

"Sorry, Tifa, I won't be able to help with chores. I am a little... preoccupied at the moment." Twila leans over and gives his face one of her huge sloppy kisses, and I can't help but laugh. Cloud frowns at me, but when Twila licks his face again, he gives up and leans back on the couch.

"'S alright." I say. "I don't have any chores, I guess. They all look done to me." I seat myself next to him on the couch with Katie on my lap one hand petting her, and the other running through Twila's fur. "So, what's on tv?"

"Absolutely nothing." He grumbles, also combing through Twila's fur with his fingers, occasionally brushing his against mine accidentally, which sends jolts of electricity through my skin with every touch.

"So then what do you want to do, grumpy pants?" He shoots a glare at me quickly before closing his eyes again.

"We can take Twila for a walk. We could even stop by and pick up Rusty." He suggests, and I nod, already getting up while kindly removing a sleeping, but still purring Katie from my lap and onto the couch cushion.

"Sounds great. I haven't seen the Rustmeister for a while." He groans at the nickname before mumbling a "don't call her that."

"C'mon, Twila. Let's get your leash." I say as I walk to the door and pick up one of the leashes that rest on a hook; a plain red one that matches her collar perfectly. Twila jumps off of Cloud's lap, to which he grunts in pain from getting clawed in the stomach, and happily trots over to me, tongue lolling out the side of her mouth like the dope she is. "C'mon, Cloud, let's get your leash, too." I chuckle lightly as he starts to use a stream of profanities and words I am pretty sure he has made up.

"I'm not a fucking dog, Tifa."

"Really, because your beginning to look like Rusty. Shiny, soft, golden fur. Obedient... Loud."

"Let's just go already." As the front door opens, Twila tugs a little in anticipation to get out and feel the fresh air even though she was outside just moments ago. "So is this going to be an in-and-out thing, or are you tempted to catch up with my family."

"I am going to see everyone in your family of course!" I chirp happily, excited at seeing my second family in what feels like forever.

"Of course." He mutters, barely a huff under his breath, but I hear him and lightly knock his arm with mine. He gazes up at my smile and after a couple of seconds offers me a smile, too. "Rufus, Rox, and Ven are going to be disappointed in missing you." He states, looking up at the sky, counting the amount of clouds he sees, I am guessing by the way he softly counts under his breath. It's a habit he picked up to keep track of time.

"Where are those three now?" I ask surprised. I really wanted to see everyone, but I suppose I can meet them again some other time.

"Rufus is at work right now." Oh, right. If I remember correctly he is taking over the company where my brothers work when he turns twenty-one. "Roxas is with Axel, I think. And Ventus is with Terra and Aqua, I think those are their names."

"Sister Terra?" I ask confused because last I checked Aqua is eighteen, and Terra is four.

"No, Terra is seventeen. He goes to school with Ven."

"He? Poor kid." I say softly, I have only known Terra as a girls name, not a boys. Cloud huffs beside me, and when I look at him he gives me a face that reads _seriously?_ "What?"

"My name is Cloud. I am named after a condensed liquid." Now I roll my eyes at him.

"Yes, but I already offended you today. Two times in one day is bad for your mental state." I declare precisely poking his forehead dead center.

"Sometimes I don't like you." He claims while he holds and rubs the spot I just prodded as if I hurt him.

"Yes, but only sometimes." I cheer, smiling brightly and we continue to walk down the streets until we stand in front of a very large white house. I walk up to the door behind Cloud with Twila still in my hold. Through the front entrance is where the chaos begins.

"Stella, please stop picking on Luna. Terra, please settle down, you are making Tidus want to- Tidus please stop running! Prompto! That is not a slingshot! I have told you this already! Ingus, Aria, Sara, please turn the tv down. Naminé, you don't have to clean that up, I'll get to it eventually. Oh, hello Cloud- Tifa!" Rosa exclaims as soon as she sees me step through the door. The seventeen-year-old blonde throws herself into my arms and buries her face into my shoulder letting out a relieved sigh.

"Hello, Rosa. I would ask how you are, but I think I already know. Need any help? Cloud and I were here to pick up Rusty, but I don't mind lending you a quick favor or two."

"Please, this is more like ten favors. I just need to get breakfast ready and on the table, do you think you can both watch the children while I do that?"

"I don't mind." I say, and then turn to Cloud who just shrugs his shoulders, takes Twila's leash from me and starts leading her out back. As soon as I try to step further into the house a little beauty named Terra wraps her arms around my knees. Her curly hair is left down today and coils around itself in a helpless mess on her shoulders. Before I can say anything to her, her blue eyes lock with mine, and she smiles a large pearly white smile.

"Tifa!" She screeches and then lets go of my legs, running down the hall in the direction of the living room yelling my name down the corridors, getting everyone's attention, all before I had the chance to say her name. Suddenly more little hands have found their ways to my hips and legs as I am swarmed by a joyful mob of blonde hair and blue eyes. They all start squealing my name, and asking questions rapid fire, asking me if I remembered their names and why I was gone for so long. The seventeen children around me begin pushing me in the direction of the living room while still asking questions.

As I am forced to sit on the couch the children all line up on the floor except for Tidus and Terra as they fight over who gets to sit on my lap. With two strong arms I lift them both up and set them on my legs murmuring softly into their ears. "It's all right you two. There is no need to fight over me."

"Tifa, tell us a story!" Vaan demands, excited by the thoughts of what story I will tell now.

"Very well, but one of you needs to get Naminé and Link for me." I say softy, and Reks immediately jumps up to retrieve his sister and brother. To get them to sit patiently, they ask me to say each of their names, first and middle, and their ages in birth order. This is not an easy feat, but I have been best friends with Cloud since I could walk. I have been around his family so much that I could say each of their birthdays as well if I had to.

"Well, first there is Cloud Scott. He is nineteen." They all groan as they realize I am going to say the siblings that aren't even here.

"Then there is Rufus Timothy. He is also nineteen, but they are not twins. Then there is Rosa Joanna, who is seventeen. Roxas Alexander, and he is sixteen along with his identical twin brother Ventus Christopher. Lets see... next up are the triplets, all are fifteen, of course, Ingus Neville, Sara Alyssa, and Aria Isabelle. Aria and Sara are fraternal. Then there is Naminé Kate at fourteen years old- oh, hello Naminé." Naminé gives a small wave with her right hand as her left clutches her sketchbook. "And hello, Link." I smile at him, but he shies away and hides behind Reks as he is trying to take his seat. Like Naminé, Link is mute, but the difference is that Link chooses not to speak.

"Where was I? Oh, yes. After Naminé there is Celes Anne who is thirteen, and the quadruplets at twelve. Ace Waldo, Trey David, Nine Evan and Jack Michael, all fraternal." _God bless their mother. _"Then there is Ashelia Bella who is eleven, Stella Mary who is ten, Reks Zack, you are nine. Our eight-year-old is Relm Wendy. Next is Vaan Ken who is seven, Prompto Arthur you are six, Luna Opal is five, and Terra Danielle, you are four. Tidus Drew is three, Link Hector is two, Basch Jacob is one, and last but not least is Zidane Iago who is the newborn. Eight months I believe." They all clap loudly except for Link as he is still scared of me and doesn't really remember me.

"Tifa, tell us a story!" Ashe yells from her spot on the floor. I became famous in this house for being able to come up with stories on the spot. My stories are original, so they are not likely to hear the same story twice.

"Well, what do you want it to be about?" I agree, already coming up with some characters and a plot line in my head.

"I want a princess!" Ashe squeals.

"No! I want trolls!" Jack screams.

"And imps!" Ace continues.

"Let there be lava!" Trey adds on.

"And explosions!" Nine finishes.

"A lacy wedding dress!" Stella demands.

"Lots of snow!" Luna throws in her opinion.

"Now hold on all of you!" I chuckle softly. "I believe that it is Naminé's turn to choose the story." They all groan, and Naminé blushes before she begins to scribble something down on her sketchbook. After a minute or so the mute fourteen-year-old walks up to me and hands me her pad. After scanning the page real quick I give her a smile, and she gives me a beautiful shy smile.

"I can do that." Erasing my previous story from my mind, I make room for the new one.

"Once upon a time, there was a young maiden named Tabitha. She was the most beautiful in all the land. Anyone that saw her would promptly fall in love with her. Her crystal blue eyes held such a passion that she could charm the devil. Tabby lived with her father Wendall. Wendall knew that his daughter would one day have to get married and leave him forever. He tried to protect her from the cruel world, but it wouldn't always work. Men would continuously lust after her on the streets. Only with her father was she safe. When she woke up in the morning, the first thing she would see would be the many gifts her male suitors left for her. But the most interesting gift to her would be the silver buds.

With these silver buds would be nothing else. No note, no card, nothing. These buds, after a long time of receiving them, were discovered that they were only left on her porch on nights of a full moon. The only problem was that the buds were buds, and just that. Whenever Tabitha tried to bring the flowers inside, they would only die. As she studied these flowers more and more, she began to think of them as an omen. These buds never bloomed, never showed their full potential, just shriveled up and died.

Tabitha became stressed and depressed as she continued to receive these as a gift. It was time- she finally decided one night- to confront the man leaving these dying flowers on her steps. The next full moon came, and she was awake at godforsaken hours of the night. She wore a black cloak to hide her gleaming golden hair from the moonlight so the stranger would leave the plants there like any other night. She was beginning to give up hope, when the stranger came up her steps and left the buds there like always. He too wore a black cloak to conceal his identify from any prying eyes.

As he was about to walk away, Tabitha realized she still hadn't seen his face. With the thought of never having another opportunity like this again, she ran as quietly as she could behind the stranger and leapt onto his back, making the both of them fall forward. He rolled out from under her and tried to flee again, but Tabby held onto his cloak strong. As he tried to run away again his cloak was ripped from his shoulders, revealing gleaming long silver hair. Silver like the moon, the stars, and even as silver as the buds. Realizing he is exposed, he turned around and stared at her, green eyes staring into her blue. She hadn't realized that during the skirmish her hood had fallen off of her head.

'Why do you do this to me!' She cried at the stranger who is now making no attempt to run, as he has already been discovered. 'Why do you give me dead flowers! What did I do to deserve this?' She continued to scream at the man, emotions she didn't know she had held back came back full force as those ice crystal eyes began to melt.

'Dead?' He questioned. 'Dead.' He echoed. In the silence of the night, the only sound heard was the return of their voices, and the far away owl asking the question everyone wanted to know. 'Who? Who?'

'Dead.' She confirmed with a sniffle. 'Who?'

'They shouldn't be dead. I give you alive flowers.' Confusion accents his voice as he cocks his head to the side, silver hair tumbling off his shoulders and hanging limply in the air.

'You give me dying buds.' She corrected softly, feeling all willpower to fight fleeing her body, flying away with the bats and the birds.

'Come with me.' He hold out his hand to her, beckoning her forth. He offers her safety and warmth, and yet she can sense the great wave of danger behind him. She steps back a step, holding her arm close to her chest, refusing all temptation to elope with the man to wherever he wishes to take her.

'I won't hurt you, I promise.' The sincerity in his voice makes her drop all resolve she had before, and she walks forward, taking his left hand with her right. In the forest they travel, and the question pecks at the back of her mind, like the owl as he sings his confusion, 'Who? Who? Who?'

'Who are you?' She wants to say, and yet she can't. The cat has her tongue, and the owl pokes and prods at her mind. The lion is dragging her to his den, there will be a feast tonight. She is either the guest, or the meal, and being tired of the chase, the poor lamb follows close behind the lion, trusting the lion to keep her safe, even though it is the lion she is most afraid of.

'We are here.' He says and as she peeks around behind him. And then she sees... nothing. Scared now, the lamb finds out that it is the dinner, she turns to flee, but he grabs a hold of her wrist. 'Just wait.' He says calmly, patiently. Waiting for something unknown to Tabby. 'It will happen soon. Just wait.'

'Let me go!' She screams, clawing at his hand, begging, pleading, crying for him to let go of her so she may leave. The chorus of owls hums through the air and she screams louder. 'I don't care. I don't care anymore.' Just then, a light shimmers down from the sky above, as the moon breaks through the imprisonment of the dark gray night-sky clouds.

'There.' He says, and she turns around, tears sticking to her face still as she bites her lower lip in fear. All fear melts away, however, when she is met with the most beautiful sight she has ever seen before. Before her is a clean pond of a crystal blue color shining bright in the night, however the show is stolen by the silver flowers radiating under the lunar light. Her companion kneels down by the pond water only to stand back up with a flower in the palm of his hand. 'I bring you these. Silver Moon Flowers. They open only in a full moon.' He says carefully, staring at the flower in his hand, and then handing it off to her. 'Sorry, for the trouble.'

The air is silent, except for the mocking 'Who? Who?' of the owls hovering on the branches above where the couple stands 'Who are you.' She calls out suddenly, unable to keep the question from spilling forth from her lips.

'My name is Seraphim.' He says proudly, a kind smile on his lips, and Tabitha smiles back sweetly, blushing profusely when he takes the flower from her hand and twists it in locks of black hair.

It is under the moonlight, by the pond of mystical glowing flowers that Tabitha and Seraphim kiss for the first time. Green eyes sliding closed when he sees her scarlet ones do the same. The next morning, she told her father the news; she has found someone she wants to be her suitor. Although saddened by the news at first, Wendall agrees to let Tabitha and Seraphim marry, and marry they did under the full moon by the pond of magic flowers." I finish my story just as Rosa calls for breakfast, inviting me to the table as well. I agree, and walk after all the children have left. As I am about to leave the room, I feel a hand grasp my wrist. Looking down I see Naminé holding her sketchbook out for me to see. Under her prompt of "Silver flowers," lays the question, "why did you change the characters appearance?"

"I did?" I ask confused by what Naminé has just "said." She nods her had, causing some of her blonde hairs to fall into her face. She points a finger at her hair, and then her eyes, and then to my hair and eyes. Just as I was about to say something, Cloud rounds the corner.

"Coming, you two?" Naminé lets go of my wrist and scampers off to the dining room leaving me to wonder in the living room alone before joining my second family in the dining room.

* * *

><p><strong>Saturday August 23rd 2014 12:34 pm<strong>

We ended up staying later at Cloud's house later than expected before walking the dogs like we said we would. While we were walking and talking I decided to ask Cloud the question that had been bugging me for a while.

"Cloud, did you hear any of the story I was telling before?" He looks over to me in surprise before turning back to stare at Rusty trotting at his side.

"Yeah, I heard all of it. Why do you ask?"

"It's just that... After I finished telling the story, Naminé told me something."

"Naminé spoke!" He looked at me, his whole face picking up for a second before dropping back to its regular cold and uncaring default setting, but his eyes still held their glimmer.

"Oh, wrote. Sorry." I shake my head, heart breaking when his eyes droop and he looks exhausted again. He closes his eyes and lets out a heavy sigh.

"What'd she 'say?'" He asks cautiously. Naminé's condition has been a heavy topic for him, as Naminé is the light in his life. He suffers when she suffers.

"She said something about changing the character's descriptions. I don't remember doing that, do you?"

"Oh yeah, I was going to say something-" He is cut off by his phone ringing again. Grumbling, he pulls out his phone, looks at the caller ID and then puts it on speaker.

"What?"

"You need to brush up on your phone manners, Strifey." Ah, Yuffie.

"Hello, Yuffie." I chime in.

"Tifa! Ah, finished having sex, I see?" I sputter and choke on air. I look at Cloud, my face reading _What the hell is she talking about?_

"Hey, Spastic. I already told you that's not what I meant by 'finishing up with your sister.'"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. When are you getting down here, Ice Queen?"

"When I feel like it."

"Tifa," she whines, "tell him to come to me."

"Cloud, if you made a commitment-"

"-I didn't! She did it for me!"

"All the more reason to do it!" She sings through the phone completely off-key.

"Why?"

"Come down here and I'll tell you!" She sings again before hanging up.

"I'm going to kill the Lockhart." He claims as he shoves his phone back in his pocket. His eyes wander over to mine, and with mine I tell him to go. With a sigh, he trots ahead of me, Rusty and Twila following him.

"Hey, Strife!"

"Yeah, Lockhart?"

"Give me my damn dog back." I laugh, forcing him to give me a small smile. With a shove in my direction from Cloud, Twila comes running back to my side, tongue lolling out the side again. With nothing better to do, I head home. It is when I open the door and step through that I realize Cloud never got the chance to answer my question.

* * *

><p><strong>Saturday August 23rd 2014 6:46 pm<strong>

I set the plates of stir-fry I made for dinner tonight on the table as everyone gathers around and takes their seat. We begin chatting slightly; not talking all too much as there isn't much to say. But that's okay, my throat is a little sore from the story telling and catching up I did at the Strife's in the morning.

"So, Tifa. Have you come to a decision yet?" Tseng asks as he helps himself to the dinner I made. Everyone looks to me expectantly as they wait for my answer. I am, so far, the smartest child in the house, and with that they, my brothers and sisters, expect me to say I wish to go to college. Except, there isn't anything there I want. I want to work with children, but I don't want to be a teacher. While I was at the Strife residence, however, I finally came up with my answer.

"Yes. I do not wish to attend college." As Rude looks like he is about to interrupt, I hold up the palm of my hand. "Rude, don't be rude." I giggle a little, and I am sure he rolled his eyes, but it is hard to tell from under the sunglasses he always wears. "I have to help Cloud with his family. They need me as much as you guys do. I have also decided that one day I want to open up my own daycare."

Rude and Tseng look confused as they thought I was definitely going to choose college. They exchange looks between each other, but don't say anything else. Vincent never says anything unless directly spoken to, like Cloud. Everyone is completely silent, except for Shiki who is the only one who says anything at the moment.

"That sounds lovely, Tifa." She smiles at me bashfully from behind her glasses, and I smile back at her. After hearing Shiki speak, everyone else soon mutters their agreements.

The rest of dinner is uneventful, and I finish sooner than I anticipated. I clean the dishes while Laguna fills the dog and cat bowls with their food. While Laguna is filling the bowls, Gladiolus goes to the back to fetch all of the dogs so they can eat, too. After the never-ending piles of dishes are done, the clock reads 7:39 pm, so I get Lulu ready for bed. She picks out a black nightgown, and I slip it over the three-year-olds body. I pull her midnight hair back into a short braid, so she can go brush her teeth and sleep comfortably.

While Lulu is getting ready for bed, I help Shiki move from the couch to her bed, as she couldn't seem to move herself. Sadly I shut the door behind me on my way out as I am forced to remember her condition. When Lulu is finished, I tuck her into bed, and I tell her the story I told the Strife's this morning, being careful not to change the character's description again. As soon as she falls asleep, I go to my room to get changed, slipping on a black silk nightgown, and letting my black butt-length hair fall down gracefully. I brush it so it becomes silky again before going to kiss the rest of my brothers and sisters goodnight. Making sure Shiki is in bed okay; I turn off her light and return to my room so I can read.

As I read my book, Katie curls up by my arm, and Twila jumps to the foot of my bed. With the soft purring of Katie by my ear, and the soft snores of Twila, I am pushed into a deep slumber, dreaming of the story I told this morning, as I live through the tale myself again and again, going further into detail than before. I am forced to watch as my hair turns from a golden blonde to the color of a raven's wing. My liquid blue eyes transform, twist and darken into a bloody scarlet color. My sense perception feels real as I feel his touch on my wrist, hear the owls shrieking in the distance, and feel the tears trail down my face. Who knew that the stranger's hair was softer than any silk made by man?

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong> Really long chapter, I know. But, I wanted to finish this day. So far I had three chapters covering the same day. That's lame. At this rate the story will be going nowhere fast. I will try my hardest to get chapters out faster, as I seem to be primarily set on recording this one. Yippee. Let me know if you want anything to be added into this story, as I am pretty flexible with the plot line. As for the characters, if you have never heard of them before, I am sorry, but they are from either: one of the Final Fantasy games, one of the Kingdom Hearts games, the World Ends With You, or even the Legend of Zelda... I really wanted to add the Legend of Zelda into here. There will be OC characters scattered around here, but they shouldn't have a large effect on the story that it actually matters who they are. So you finally got to meet both the Strife and the Lockhart families. And Tifa is good at telling stories! Who knew?

**Halcyon Eve: Oh, I was so happy to know I didn't lose you after that obnoxiously large break! As for the characters, they will become clearer over time, but like I said in the notes this chapter, they do actually exist, just deep in the video game world of the four games I mentioned. Maybe I will have to read one of your fictions if I ever get a moment!**


	4. First Day of School

**_Snow White Queen_**

_And hide from you_

* * *

><p><strong>Monday September 8th 2014 6:00 am<strong>

"Come on, Vincent." I call out to my oldest younger brother through his bedroom door. "It's time to wake up. You have school today." When I hear no response, I open the door just a crack and peek inside before deeming it safe and opening it the rest of the way. I cover the sound my steps would make by walking on my tiptoes over to the side of his bed. "Vinnie. It's time to wake up now. It's the first day of school." I say quietly in his ear while shaking him just a fraction. A scarlet eye peeks open for a second before closing again. Vincent lets out a deep, annoyed sigh, which lets me know that he is going to wake up shortly and he would prefer if I left him alone.

My next stop is Yuffie's room, and judging by her heavy snores she is still deep in sleep. "Yuffie! Wake up now please! It's a school day." A loud _'thump' _sounds from behind the door and I imagine she has fallen out of bed. Again.

"What! No, I'm awake!" She calls back to me from behind her door.

"Are you okay?"

"Just peachy!" Slowly and cautiously I leave her door in case there are any more accidents that can and will be caused by "the Great Ninja Yuffie." When I hear nothing I pick up my pace and do the same things with Laguna and Reeve, both of whom wake up with only a little grumbling. When I wake up Shiki, I do it softly so I don't scare her and cause her to have any unwanted heart problems that could potentially add onto her already awful disease. Last I wake up Rude and Tseng so they can get ready for work, and leave Gladiolus and Lulu since they attend schools that do not make them wake up at early hours in the morning.

I am busy preparing everyone's breakfast so they can have a good first day while they all shuffle out of their bedrooms looking like the walking dead. They file into their seats at the dining table, not a single breath of a word uttered past their lips. I hand them their simple breakfast of pancakes and they start stuffing the flat cakes into their mouths. Most of them start pouring syrup on theirs with the exception of Rude, Tseng and Shiki. Yuffie's pancakes are absolutely drowning in the sweet sugary syrup, but this isn't a surprise as she has a huge sweet tooth.

I join them at the table to eat some pancakes as well as get a conversation flowing. The conversation is small and quiet as we all still have our morning ears. "Do you guys have everything you need?" They all nod their heads in a bobbing motion as they stare down at their plates. "Backpacks?" A nod. "Books?" More nodding. "Lunches?" Simultaneously eyes of brown and red turn on me staring blankly with slow lazy blinks.

"Oh, shit. I forgot to pack your lunches. You're all buying today, I guess." I say, mad at myself for forgetting to make them lunches. I made them breakfast, but forgot they won't be here, or be able to leave to eat lunch elsewhere.

"Can't you make them all quickly?" Yuffie whines with a mouthful of pancakes.

"Don't talk with food in your mouth." I chastise lightly. I hear her mumble a 'sorry' with her mouth now clear. I glance at the time on the stove clock. 6:43 am. The high schoolers have to be in school at 7:30, and the middle schoolers have to be there at 8:00. It takes ten minutes to get to the high school, and eight minutes to get to the middle school from there. I want the get the high schoolers there at least at 7:10 so they have time to go to their lockers and find their homerooms. "You do realize that I will turbo speed have to make nine lunches in less than twenty minutes, right?"

"Don't make Glad and Lulu's yet then. They don't have school for a while. And Rude and Tseng have work at...?" Yuffie trails off, looking at both our oldest brothers for support.

"Seven thirty." Tseng takes another forkful of pancakes into his mouth, glaring at his plate.

"Ah, never mind. Just make our seven, and you'll be all clear." Yuffie sings, now awake and back to her 'normal' self.

"You are all getting peanut butter and jelly today." I get up and put the finished plates in the sink for me to clean later while listening to their cheers. Breaking out the jar of peanut butter and the bottle of grape jelly, I begin smothering a generous amount onto fourteen pieces of white bread before slamming the two ends together and shoving them in an assortment of lunch bags. Add Capri Suns, apples and potato chips (veggie chips for Shiki) into the mix, and voila! Lunches done.

"You five, get in the car. I'll see you two at dinner." I kiss both Rude and Tseng on their cheeks before leaving the house with my keys.

The drive to the high school was silent as we listened to the radio that played mostly commercials and the lively morning radio show hosts. As soon as I pulled up to the front steps of the Radiant Garden High School the time reads 7:14, which I guess isn't that bad. Quickly I kiss Vincent, Yuffie and Laguna on their cheeks before ushering them out the doors of my car and towards the school. I wait until I see the senior, junior and sophomore disappear into what they determine to be hell. Next up the middle school.

"Shiki, will you be okay today?" I glance back in the rear-view mirror at the sixth grader curled up in the back seat. My eyes soften as I see Reeve rub her back in a soothing manor while she gets her breathing stabilized, and the chest pains diminish. "Are you okay, Shiki?" She nods her head slightly, rubbing her chest hard as if she is trying to rub her pain away. "Should we get you a wheel chair for today?" She snaps her head back and forth roughly, shaking her head no.

"I don't... want... that to be... my... first day of the middle school." She gasps out between wheezes.

"But, Shiki-" I say before she cuts me off.

"-No... Eri will be with me... and Neku... and Beat."

"I'll look out for her too, Tif." Reeve says, looking at her with a certain fear in his eyes, as if she will break just by breathing on her.

"But that is different, Reeve. You are in the eighth grade. You will never see Shiki. And Shiki, you need an aide. Please." I beg, shifting glances between her and the road. "Please, please consider a wheel chair. If the day gets too much, don't try to tough it out. You know your condition-"

"-Yes, I know my condition." She cuts me off again. The rest of the ride is in silence save for the loud volume the female speaker on the radio is using. At 7:26 I pull into the front of the middle school, watching silently as Reeve help Shiki get out. Giving them both a kiss on the cheek and wishing them a good first day, I wait in my spot until my brother and sister slowly disappear behind the doors with Reeve's arm stabilizing Shiki. I pull away and head home, allowing the radio to fill my head with sad music.

I pull into my driveway fifteen minutes later only to feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. Closing the car door with one hand, I reach into my pocket with the other, answering the call while still fishing for my keys. "Hello?" I answer as I unlock the door and let myself inside. Quickly I dash down the hall to Gladiolus' room and shake him awake, doing the same for Lulu.

"Tifa?" A staticky voice inquires from the other side of the line.

"Cloud?"

"Yeah. Listen, I have to head to work soon. Would you be able to pick the five youngest from my house and watch them for today? It is only Terra who has preschool today."

"Yeah sure, hold on one second." I pull the phone away from my ear and peek my head into Glad's room again. "All good, buddy?" I ask seeing him walking around sluggishly.

"I'm getting changed. Don't look!" I roll my eyes and close the door behind me, putting some of the pancakes I put away before into the microwave for Glad and Lulu.

"Back." I say while pressing the phone between my ear and my shoulder.

"So is it alright with you?"

"Mhmm. I will swing by around, say, 7:50 maybe? I need to drop Glad off at school first."

"You are a life saver." He sighs in relief.

"I know!" I chirp through the phone before saying our goodbyes and hanging up. The microwave beeps and I place the cakes on two plates before setting them down in front of the correct seats. I begin making Glad's lunch, the same as everyone else's with the exception of a pear instead of an apple because I used all the apples for everyone else.

"I like apples better." The seven year old states as he peeks his head over the counter I am working on.

"I know, Gladdy. But your mean ol' brothers and sisters took all the apples. I'll see if I can get some shopping done today, although I highly doubt it." I finish packing the lunch into his lunch bag and set it next to his backpack.

"Why not?" Inquisitive age seven is. 'Why this? Why that?' Patience is key.

"I am babysitting today." I get started on the huge pile of dishes that doesn't seem to end.

"Babysitting your boyfriend's kids?" He teases, eyebrows raised and a huge grin plastered on his face.

"No, not my boyfriend, and his brothers and sister." I can feel my face heat up slightly, and I silently pray he doesn't notice.

"Tifa! You're turning red!" He exclaims, laughing at my embarrassment, finding it to be the funniest thing he has ever seen, but he will probably forget it by the time he gets back home.

"Eat your pancakes, squirt. I need to go help Lulu." The dishes can definitely wait; as there is no way I can finish them now. I walk down the hall, approaching her room only to find that she is still sound asleep. "Lulu, dear. You need to wake up now. We have to bring Gladdy to school."

"Mommy?" She rubs the sleep out of her crimson eyes deliriously. My heart breaks when she calls me mommy. She isn't sure what happened to our mother and father; she just thinks that they will come home soon. Nobody has the heart to tell her, even though Gladiolus has almost accidentally spit it out a couple of times in her presence. We can't get away with anything around her, as she is always focused and attentive to her surroundings.

"No, it's Tifa. C'mon now, up up, Lulu." She reaches her arms up and I scoop underneath her, carrying her to the dining room while she rests her head on my shoulder. I can feel her light heartbeat on my chest, and hear the steady rhythm of her breaths. She whines when I set her down in her chair until she sees the pancakes, and begins eating healthily for someone who just woke up. I head back to her room to try and find something for her to wear, settling for a black dress. She doesn't know why we wear all black; she just goes along with it. I gather two hairbands as well as a hairbrush and walk over to the living room to find a seat on the black leather couch.

"Lulu," I call out, "when you are done with breakfast go and brush your teeth please. And Glad, come here so I can brush your hair."

"Okay!" They yell back. When they are both finished eating, Glad come over to me and sits in my lap while I run the brush through his black hair. His hair is long, but doesn't reach his shoulders yet. I need to give him a trim so no one can mistakes him for a girl.

"Are you excited for today?" I ask, knowing at least one of the children should be. I used to be excited for the first day of school.

"Uh-huh! I am going to meet lotsa people! And then we can have play dates! It'll be so much fun, and I can't wait!" I smile as I listen to him continue to rattle on about how he is excited to meet his teacher and how he 'bets she is super pretty and fun and nice.' I don't dare cut him off from his excitement and only speak again when he is finished.

"I bet you will have a great first day." I smile at him when he stands up and he smiles back, amber eyes crinkling up as well. I get a good look at his outfit. He chose black pants, and a black t-shirt with a picture of tiger on it. He wears black sneakers with a hint of red. "Perfect." I smile at him, but I don't really feel like smiling. Gladiolus knows what happened, so he decided to wear all black as well. I really wish no one would suffer, that we could all move past this and not forget, but accept. "Now, go brush your teeth." He nods his head and runs down the hall to get to the bathroom. "Lulu, come here please!" I see my youngest sister trot down the same hall Glad just took. She stops in front of me and plops down onto my lap.

I brush through her thin shoulder length hair, trying my best to separate it into two different sections. I run my fingers through her silken locks, and begin to braid one side to the best of my ability, and then move on to the other side. When I finished with that, I had to get her dressed. I strip her out of her black pajama bottoms and top with little stars dotted across the surface, and replace it with the black dress and boots I picked out, as well as a fresh pair of underwear.

"You all ready?" I ask her, slowing trying to move into the topic of having a fraction of the Strife's over today. She nods her head 'yes' and I nod back at her, biting my lip a little as I think about how to word this. Lulu likes peace and quiet, and the Strife's are loud and annoying in her opinion. "Okay, good."

"You're acting weird." She states, crimson staring into crimson as she tries to read my emotions through my eyes. A skill she has not developed as well as I have, but she is getting there.

"No, I am not." I try to cover myself, but she is a very smart child. It is hard to hide anything from her.

"Yes. You are."

"Fine, you got me again. Do you mind if I invite some children over here today? I need to watch them for a friend."

"Who?" She is suspicious, but I can see it in her eyes. She already knows whom.

"The Strife's."

"No."

"Please, Lulu? They need me and-" I start before Lulu finishes.

"-No, I don't mind."

"Oh. Thank you." I breathe in a sigh of relief, and she nods, staring across the room as Glad reemerges from the bathroom, singing a song about being ready. "Ah, we gotta go!" I sing myself. Grabbing Glad's stuff in one hand, picking Lulu up with the other, and still managing to grab my keys. We are out the door at 7:49, and I already know we will be a little late for Cloud's. Quickly I buckle Lulu in while Glad fumbles with his own seat belt. I am pulling out of the driveway before I had my seat belt secured around my waist.

I pull into the school's parking lot shortly, kiss Gladiolus quickly on the cheek, and drive away as soon as I see him walk through the school entrance. His second grade teacher this year, Ms. Monoli, seemed like a very nice person, in my opinion. I went to meet her before school began with Glad. She thought I was his mother unsurprisingly, and she was all the more accepting when I explained our situation to her. She knows the topic of our father and mother is a bit sore, and promised to look out for Glad to make sure none of the kids make him feel... uncomfortable.

I manage to get to the Strife's at 8:03, sadly thirteen minutes later than I said I would, but I am sure Cloud won't be terribly upset.

"Stay in the car, I'll be back really quick, okay, Lulu?" I turn my head around to look at her, and she just shrugs her shoulders and looks out the window. I leave my keys in the ignition so that Lulu can continue to listen to the music while I run to the door and knock. Cloud pulls the door open quickly, worry turning into relief when he sees me.

"Oh, wonderful." He steps aside to let me through. "Go get the diaper bags, and I will buckle the car seats in." I nod, twisting down the halls until I come across Link, Basch, and Zidane's room. I start pulling spare clothes into the large blue tote bag, along with some diapers, powders, Zidane's diaper rash cream, Zidane's stuffed monkey Gonzolo, Basch's favorite pillow with the words _Basch Jacob Strife_ scripted on the surface in fancy bronze stitching, and Link's favorite book to read _Where the Wild Things Are._ Before leaving the room, I grab the baby wrap just in case. In Relm and Terra's room, I quickly grab her a spare change of clothes, and a couple of her Barbie dolls. Running into the kitchen, I manage to get a hold of some pacifiers that are on top of the fridge, some bottles, and the formula along with it.

"Bash, Link, Terra! Come on, kidlets! We need to get going! Cloud has work now, so you get to come over to my house!" The house is silent for a second. I can feel the energy of the children before I hear or see them. A chorus of positive sounds emits from the mouths of the children and the pattering of feet get louder with each thump down the hall. In a flash of blonde and blue I am wrapped in the arms of Terra. Basch gets to me eventually, not as fast as his older sister. He _can _only walk. Link still warily eyes me from the hallway like he did month's prior. "We will get going sooner if you all go to meet me in the car. Cloud should be out there. I am just going to grab Zidane real quick, okay?"

"Okay!" Basch and Terra yell, as Terra runs as fast as she can, Link stumbling a little behind, and Basch trying to run, _wanting_ to run, but not being able to run. I laugh as I walk back to the boys' room to pick up Zidane. Having woken up from his slumber by his loud siblings, he blinks deliriously up at me and yawning, flipping his hands back and forth and kicking his legs in some sort of excitement.

"Come on, you." Careful to support his neck, I toss his spit-up towel over my shoulder, and place the eight-month-old over my shoulder, too. I run my hand through his golden blonde baby fuzz while he blows bubbles onto his towel, cooing softly every time one pops. As we are walking to the car, he wraps one of his chubby hands into my hair and places it in his mouth. Softly, I chuckle before chastising him. "No, no, Zidane. You can't eat this." He kicks his legs grumpily against my chest, occasionally hitting my breast, which causes me to wince a little, but there really isn't much I can do at the moment.

We make it to the car, and all the kids are buckled in, and I place Zidane in his seat as well, but not before he grabs a fistful of my hair and tugs. I tug my hair back, out of his strong grip and let it fall back down to the side with the rest of my hair. I hear Terra talking animatedly to Lulu, while Lulu just ponders what she is saying, giving small verbal signs every once in a while to let her know she was listening. I step back smiling, closing the door behind me. I turn to see Cloud standing behind me, a small grateful smile etched onto his hardened features. "You're welcome." I sing, knowing full well he wants to thank me.

"I never said anything." He grumbles, raising an eyebrow, and losing his smile. But not in a mean, grumpy way. That's just his face.

"I know." I sing again. He raises his blonde brow again, but does not question me. He knows me as well as I know him. As his way of saying thanks, he leans in and places a kiss on my right cheek. I try my best not to freak out and turn into a puddle there, and actually manage to get my blushing under control so it isn't really visible. I think... "Well, have fun at work! I will see you when you pick these lovable monsters up?"

"Yeah, me or Rufus will be there to get them. Most likely Rufus, I think he gets off before me." He pauses for a second, his face scrunched up in concentration as he looks up at the sky and counts the clouds in sight. "Oh, and remember, Rose Garden at one o'clock, to three o'clock. Zidane hasn't eaten yet; he just woke up. Naps for everyone at two o'clock, but I assume you already knew that because of Lulu?"

"Yes, Cloud. Everything is under control. Go; you will be late for work." With one last glance at the car and then the sky, he waves goodbye and runs for his car. I do the same for mine, and we are pulling out of the driveway and onto the street before the kids can say cookie-dough ice cream.

* * *

><p><strong>Monday September 8th 2014 2:28 pm<strong>

At two thirty everyone was finally asleep. I managed to get Terra to Rose Garden in time, and got to meet her teacher whose name, oddly enough, was Miss Rose. She was confused to see me, and told me she met a man named Cloud Strife, but I explained our situation, and she was very forgiving. This might be a permanent thing, I added, but she was okay with it as long as Terra was. Which she wholeheartedly agreed to.

Now, I watch over the huge slumber party happening in my living room, while I cradle Zidane as he suckles on the warm formula-filled bottle. Even the eight-month-old is dozing off, about to join in with his brothers and my sister. I don't care much; the kids deserve a break considering they have been playing hard as soon as they walked through the door. Lulu fell asleep while playing with her dolls, Basch was cuddling his pillow, and I was reading to Link his favorite book while he was snuggled against my side _finally _trusting me.

Throughout the course of their time here, I have received a couple of calls from the schools. Shiki accepted a wheelchair, _thankfully._ Eri probably talked her into it. Vinnie, Yuffie and Laguna also need to be picked up soon, Yuffie called to tell me that. The only problem is how am I supposed to get them? I can't leave the children here, but I can't wake them up, and even if I did, I couldn't get everyone in the car anyway. So what can I do? _Aerith!_

I run to the phone, dialing the number quickly that I have saved in my contacts. The phone rings a couple of times before a soft, melodic, feminine voice carries through.

"Hello, Tifa. What can I do for you?"

"Coincidence that you asked that very question, Eri. Can you do me a huge favor and pick the children for the Lockhart and Strife households? Please? I will owe you big time." The line goes quiet for a second before answering again uncertainly.

"Well, I don't know. I am currently watching Yuna and Garnet... and I have to pick up all of my siblings soon, too."

"Ah, shucks. I didn't think about that. I mean, I would gladly watch the two little one's for you, but that doesn't take care of the space problem in the car. How many high schoolers do you have again?" I hear her counting over the line up to five before she picks up the conversation again.

"Seven." She says.

"Seven?" I ask.

"Seven." She confirms.

"I mean... I have three? Plus the Strife's, so... seven more? Ten... seventeen. Think you have room for seventeen people in your car?"

"Unless we are secretly clowns, or I own a bus, I would say no." She chuckles, and I huff, not aware of what to do at all. "Hmm..." She sounds thoughtful, which gets my attention instantly. Hopes rising that maybe she has come up with a solution. "Maybe I can do three of four trips per school? Would I be able to just drop them all off at your house, that way we will be able to hang out, and it saves me from having to drive completely across town?"

"If you think it will be easier, sure! I love that idea!" I haven't been able to hang out with Aerith for a while, and I miss her dearly.

"Alright," She laughs likes bells in my ear, "I will be over with the girls shortly."

"Okay. Love you, see you soon."

"Love you, too." She says before hanging up. She is right, as I am barely waiting thirty minutes before she is pulling into my driveway, carrying two car seats with small children sleeping inside. I rush out to help her instantly, aware and afraid of her condition.

"Oh, Aerith! Give me the darlings! You know you shouldn't put too much stress on your body!" I lift her sisters away from her effortlessly, whereas she was struggling to hold one. She looks slightly pale from the over-exertion, but knowing her, she will make it if she sits down.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." She waves her hand in dismissal before pulling me into a weak hug. "I will see you soon with our many, _many,_ siblings."

"Strife's, too?"

"Strife's, too." She chuckles, getting in her car and pulling away. I carry the princesses inside, instantly starting to unbuckle Yuna, and pull her out, laying her next to Lulu, and unbuckle Garnet, and lay her next to Zidane on a very comfortable blanket on the floor. I set to preparing the den for the guests, as I will have an estimate of fifty children in this house. Is the den big enough? The den is in the basement level, and is very spacious, being about the size of the first level. Fifty people might be able to fit down here, especially if they aren't doing crazy things. They might even choose to go to the backyard, or maybe the older ones might want to go for walks around the block. Nonetheless, I think this room should suffice.

The first group Aerith brings around consists of all the high school Strife's: Rosa, Roxas, Ventus, Ingus, Aria, Sara, and Naminé. They understand not to make that much noise, since the children are asleep, and head down to the basement quietly to talk to one another and gossip about their teachers and students, I presume. The second batch also consists of purely Leonhart's: Rinoa, Terra, Sora, Olette, Irvine, Arc and Selphie. With help from me, they go to the basement to join the Strife's in their chatter, catching up with one another and looking over schedules. The Leonhart's came in a little more loudly, but after looking at the children they continued on as silent as mice. The third carful consisted of both high schoolers and middle schoolers from my family: Vincent, Yuffie, Laguna, Shiki and Reeve, all of whom were silent when walking through the door to as soon as they disappeared down the stairs. However, I did not miss Yuffie's "Wassup, bitches?" After a while, the house was filled with everyone, thanks to Aerith: Celes, Ace, Trey, Nine, Jack, Ashelia, Stella, Reks, Relm, Vaan, Prompto, Luna, Terra, Noel, Ignis, Deuce, Eight, Rem, Guy, Balthier, Raine, Ellone, Cor, Locke, and Gladiolus. She picked up the preschoolers, too? She really is a saint.

The chatter in the basement increased a lot, but not enough to disruptable levels, which of course I was thankful for. The children hardly stirred throughout the whole expedition, and continue to sleep peacefully as Aerith and I catch up with each other.

"So how is the garden coming along?" I ask my green-thumbed friend, leaning back against the couch with our hands intertwined like we usually do.

"Beautifully. You should really visit sometime, you know. It has been a while since I last saw you." She gives me a small, but pretty smile. I respond with a tired one, gesturing to the sleeping beauties curled up on the floor.

"I've been a little busy." She nods her head in understanding. I know she goes through the same thing I do, she is the best with kids in her family as well, serving as one of the legal guardians, meanwhile her older brother is _truly_ the one in charge of _everything_ going on in the Leonhart household.

"Me too." She sighs, tucking a long chestnut strand of hair behind her ear as her emerald green eyes look upon Yuna and Garnet on the floor. I give her dainty hand a tight squeeze to gain her attention. I am rewarded with her attention, so I smile large, giving her a reason to smile, too. It is a small smile, but has the same effect the widest smile anyone can make does. She really cannot be ugly.

"You always have me if you need help you know. If your ever having premie problems, or you just want me to watch the kids, I will." She giggles softly when I say "premie problems," soft enough not to wake the children, although I want to tell her _It is time for them to wake up soon anyway. _I don't say that, though. The children are starting to stir anyway; there really is no point.

"I know. I'm always here for you, too. Don't rely too heavily on Cloud. By the way, how are you doing with _that?" _I let Aerith in on my little secret, because she is my best girl friend. Of course I will tell her everything. Also, she guessed right.

"Dealing with what?" Innocently, I bat my eyelashes, hoping she will give it up. Although we are pretty safe for the most part, all, but two Strife's are currently in this house. Knowing the Strife's for as long as I do, any one of them are capable of telling Cloud every detail of mine and Aerith's conversation to get Cloud to make a move. It is no secret that the children want us to get married, so I can be their Aunt Tifa, although technically that would make me their sister-in-law. Little Relm even made a painting of my wedding day with Cloud. I have it hanging on my bedroom wall, not because I fantasize about our wedding day, but simply because I love anything the children make for me.

"You-know-what." She even give me a look to go with it. The type of playful glare in her eyes that scream "I know something you don't know," and "you know exactly what I am talking about." I do know exactly what she is talking about, _obviously. _Sighing, I glare crimson fury at wise emeralds, giving her my look that screams, "say anything else, and you will surely die." I know she knows what my eyes are saying, as like me, she has a sense of empathy.

"Not. Now." I hiss, but mean nothing mean by it. She knows this, too. I simply don't want the children overhearing, and the fact that the chatter has died down the stairs does nothing to quench my fears.

"We have to talk about this eventually." She states matter-of-factly. "Cloud has a right to know."

"I know. God damn it, of course he does! I tell him about everything! I'm pretty sure he knows me down to the blood type, and menstruation cycle!"

"Oh, he does." She says calmly, looking down at his fingernails while I stare shocked at the side of her head.

"What?" I ask dumbly, clutching onto her hand hard enough that my knuckles turn white, and she winces a bit. I mutter an apology, and let go of her hand entirely, getting up to make us tea, giving her a chance to talk without me interrupting by accidentally breaking her knuckles. Again. I felt so bad the first time I did that.

"Yeah, one day we were hanging out, and I asked him if you were going to be joining us, and he shrugged saying 'probably not, she starts the cycle again today. She will probably be in a lot of pain.' When I asked how he knew this, thinking he was going to say 'Oh, I talked to her earlier,' but instead he looked horrified and whispered real quietly 'how do I know this?'" We burst out laughing at the end of her tale, with me crying a little bit. The idea of seeing Cloud's horrified face flashes in my mind and lingers there for a while. The image is too funny for words to actually express.

"When-" It's a struggle to collect my breath, as more laughs are forcing themselves out of my airways before I can stop them. "-When- when was this? Oh, fuck." My ribs begin to hurt, and hearing her laughing too is doing nothing to settle myself down.

"Oh, ah, m-m-months ago." She giggles out, trying to stifle her laughter, but not succeeding. "Ma-ay, I think." I manage to settle myself down a little bit to pour the tea into two white porcelain cups. I pour milk and sugar into both of them, a little more in mine than hers, and finish by sprinkling cinnamon in mine, and dripping honey in hers.

"Here you go." I hand Aerith her cup, and she immediately blows on hers before taking a cautious sip. She pulls back with a weird look on her face. "Something wrong, Eri?" Worried that I did something wrong, I look down at my cup, prepared to take a sip when she places a hand on mine, stopping my current action. Wordlessly she replaces the cup in my hand with the one in hers, and takes a sip out of the one that was previously in mine. She pulls back with a content smile. Oh, I accidentally gave her mine, and Aerith _hates_ cinnamon. "Whoops." I take a sip of mine and relax as well. I love my tea sessions with Aerith, just as much as I love coffee with Cloud.

"So... about Cloud?"

"What should I do about him?" I ask, more relaxed with the sweet amber liquid clasped between my palms than I was before.

"Personally, I think you should confess." We both roll of Christmas colored eyes and give each other looks of discontent.

"It's not that easy." It really isn't. Nothing is easy when it comes to Cloud. He is my best friend. Period. Being around him all the time and not being able to love him out loud is really hard, but I accepted it. If I confess and he doesn't like me back it-

"-Why not?"

"It can ruin everything..." She runs the palm of her hand lovingly down the side of my face, resting on my cheek. She forces my eyes to meet hers, soothing mine into a state of the most tranquil peace known to man. A sense of euphoria washes over as the emerald dream casts a dazed sleep. Green is the color of happiness after all, right? At least that's what the mood rings tell me...

"It will ruin nothing. You and Cloud have a bond that runs deeper than any river I have ever heard of. The worst he can possibly do is kindly telling you he does not feel the same way." She raises the white porcelain cup to her lips eyes never leaving mine. "That isn't even that bad, as he will _help _you get over him. And _that_ would only happen if he thinks there is _no possible way_ he can love you back."

"Aerith..." I whine, eyes large and pleading, asking for another way. A way out of this and into a way where everyone can be happy.

"Tifa. Tell him you love him." Her eyes captivate me in a way the snake charmer can charm a snake. We hold eye contact for the longest time, me completely in a trance, I part my rosy lips so the words I want to speak can tumble out.

"I-"

"Tifa loves Cloud?" Tidus sits up from his spot on the floor next to Yuna, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and yawning large. He stares at us with large blue eyes, blonde hair a complete and wild mess, sticking up in all directions.

"Well, I-" I begin before he cuts me off again.

"I heard..." He thinks for a minute, staring at Aerith, trying to come up with a name before pointing a finger in her direction, "her say you love my brother. Is she right or is she wrong?" By the tone of his voice, I know he thinks he is right, as I have already said; all of the Strife's want Cloud and me to get married.

"Well, I was trying to say-"

"And don't lie to me." He pouts, crossing his arms cutely after he cuts me off again, _uncutely._

"Aerith?" I look to my friend for support, but she just looks away, smirking and sipping from her cup. I glare at her, doing the same with my tea, taking a large gulp as I think _evil _in reference to my loving, supportive, _helpful _friend. Tidus sits still, looking innocent while waiting for an answer, staring at me with wide eyes.

"Tidus-" I am cut off once again by the ringing of my cell phone. "Thank Jesus Christ!" I shout before jumping up off the couch, careful not to spill my tea. "Sorry Ti, maybe some other time!." I shout, as I am already halfway away from there. With no real destination in mind, I walk aimlessly through the house, before finding Rude's bedroom and locking myself inside.

"Hello?" I sing, my happiness seeping through the phone call.

"Tif? It's Cloud." My heart flutters when hearing his voice for the first time in a while.

"Oh, Cloud," I sigh dreamily, "you are my knight in shining armor."

The other line was silent for a minute or two before he answers, exhaustion clear in his voice. "What did the kids do?"

"Oh, nothing, all of them are fine, really. They are just back to the whole marriage topic again." It isn't a lie, I just didn't tell the complete truth. I am acting like the idea of marriage is not on my list of things to do, when really... yeah...

"Ah, I told them to cut it out. Well, I talked to Rufus, he said things might run a little late down at headquarters, so I will be picking the young ones up."

"Okay, great. But who is going to pick up the 'old ones?'" I ask, sipping the tea I brought with me.

"The what now?" Oh, I thought he knew.

"The older ones? I'm having a huge party; I see you didn't get your invitation on purpose. All according to plan."

"Tifa."

"Yeah, just pick them up whenever. Maybe I can just send everyone to walk home. Rosa is here, and so is one of the older Leonharts. They'll be fine, I think. As long as you don't have a problem with it."

"No, I guess not- Wait, is Leon there?" He asks, with slight interest in his tone.

"Err, who? No, I have Aerith here though."

"Oh, tell her I say hi. Okay, just send the oldest home. Up to... Luna maybe?"

"The five year old?"

"Yeah, she'll have everyone else with her. They just all need to stick together. Make sure to tell them that."

"Okay, sure."

"Alright, I'll be there around seven or so to pick up the youngest."

"Alright. Bye."

"Bye." We hang up, and I glance at the time on my phone to see the time is around five now. I unlock my brothers door and walk back to the living room, but am met with a bunch of eavesdroppers crowding around Rude's door.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Despite asking it in a question, I know fully well why they are randomly perched outside the door I was just in for privacy.

"We were just... uh... oof!"

"Shining our shoes!"

"Checking for dust!"

"Playing treasure hunt!"

"Yeah, this floor is clean. You are amazing at vacuuming! What stain remover do you use?" The children rattle off their own versions of excuses, not bothering to have come up with a better one before they came here, probably thinking they wouldn't be caught.

"Yeah, okay. And- oh, Olette- the real reason?" Olette shifts nervously from foot to foot, twirling chocolate wavy locks with her finger. Olette can be trusted to tell the truth, and everyone else must have realized this because they all groan.

"Tidus told us that he heard you say you were in love with Cloud, so Yuffie- sorry Yuffie- said it would be a good idea to spy on your phone conversation." I purse my lips, trying to find a way out of this. I do not want to lie, but I don't particularly want to tell them the truth either.

"Yeah, right." I roll my eyes, trying my best to get them to believe my performance. "Oh, Strife's and Leonhart's, it's time for you guys to head home. So, shoo!" I make a shooing motion with my hands, deciding a topic change would be best. They all groan in unison at the thought of walking more, but move out of my way nonetheless.

"I'm going to take this as my cue to leave, too." Aerith says behind a sweet smile.

"Alright, safe trip home and take it easy. Here, I'll even carry Garnet and Yuna to the car for you."

"Oh, you don't have to." She says, clasping her hands in front if her innocently.

"Eh, no big deal." I grab the two carriers after buckling the newly awake girls in tight, and begin carrying them to Aerith's car. Locke, Cor, Ellone, Raine, and Balthier follow at my heels, prepared to jump in their sister's car after I finished the buckling process. I step back from the car, allowing the children to file in, and kindly close the door after they all made it in.

"Goodbye, Tifa. I love you."

"I love you too, Aerith. And goodbye." My arms wrap around her in a tight, but warm hug, and she returns the hug with surprising strength and equal warmth. We part with a kiss on the cheek. She is in her car and off the driveway when she rolls down her window and leans out.

"Remember what I said." She winks at me before leaning back inside, and driving away with the window still down.

_Well what am I supposed to do now?_

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong> Well, if I thought the last chapter was long- lookie here! Yes, 7,000 words, almost 8,000 actually. Coming along nicely, too, if I say so myself. And I do. So what do you think? Will Tifa confess to Cloud? Leave a review to tell me what you think will happen, or better yet, give me ideas! The more ideas the faster this will come out. That is a guarantee. Plus, if I actually know I have more fans it would make doing this a whole lot easier. I need feedback! Also, I hope nobody is against gay, because there will be gay characters throughout this fan fiction. Just saying. Well, thank you anyway for reading chapter four! Five coming up next!

**Halcyon Eve: Oh, you never cease to make my day, darling! Highlight of this story, might I add (and I'm not just saying this!) Well, I'll still go slow, but with longer chapters. That's the only difference. Let me know if this was good, or if you prefer the shorter ones better. You seem to be the only one giving me feedback, which is wonderful! Also, don't be afraid to let me know what I am doing wrong. I do not fear helpful criticism. My editor is twelve-years-old, so... The story is actually based on another fan fiction called Moonlight Flower by dizzyduck5. I changed most things to go with the story, but it was such a charming little tale. As for what it means, I guess you'll just have to read to find out. Darn. Thank you for reading and reviewing!**


	5. Weeks Gone By, I Lose I Mind

_**Snow White Queen**_

_All of you_

* * *

><p><strong>Saturday September 27th 2014 12:00 pm<strong>

By the end of the second week we have created a schedule that works out best for us. Vincent, Yuffie, Laguna, Reeve and Shiki set their alarms so that I don't have to wake them up every morning, even though Yuffie sleeps through her alarms and I have to personally wake her up anyway. I am able to shower right as soon as I wake up at around 5:00 every other morning, and prepare individual lunches fit to their tastes. If they have time they will prepare some breakfast, and if not they just grab something on the go. Rude and Tseng, who are both independent enough that I don't have to remind them to set their alarms, will drive them to school; Rude taking the middle schoolers, and Tseng the high schoolers since he likes to get in earlier. That leaves me to drive Gladiolus to primary school every day, and Lulu to preschool every other day on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

I babysit the Strife's still, too, with the exception that I am not housing many teenagers afterwards. I watch Terra, Tidus, Link, Basch and Zidane, driving Terra and Tidus to preschool on alternating days. I keep them with me until either Rufus or Cloud can get them, although it is usually Rufus. The kids walk home together; the high and middle schoolers meet at the park and then walk together to pick Gladiolus up from his school. It isn't a perfect system, especially since it is becoming colder outside, but Vincent will be given his license to drive soon and maybe we might be able to buy him a car. But until then, they walk.

I run my fingers through Twila's coarse fur as she trots by my side panting happily. The park in the middle of town has finally been completed and is a very popular spot for everyone to hang out. Radiant Garden has really outdone themselves this time as the park is truly the most spectacular thing I have ever seen in this town. Sure, Twilight Town has beautiful sunsets, Destiny Islands has golden sands and clear oceans, but what would Radiant Garden be without its gardens? Surely it must be the gardens, right? It is in the name, sure, but it isn't just the gardens, but the architecture as well. The gardens are beautiful and seem to be a recurring theme in the city for sure, as the smell of roses stains the air even if there isn't a single bud nearby. The architecture is really where the city peaks. The buildings are smooth like marble, and gleam brilliantly in the sunlight like a pearl. The council that runs Radiant Garden knows how to build things, and the gardens help to make everything a little more radiant.

Flowers of many different colors occupy the beds that lay to the sides of the sidewalk producing a heavenly perfume that is unlike anything else in this world. The bright colors alone are enough to make anyone happy. The perfectly manicured bushes can be seen neatly marching side-by-side on the healthy green grass. The trees, whether they are pine needles or leaves, are perfectly placed to not obscure the view of the playground so the fretful parents or older siblings can sit in the waiting section while the child they brought with them plays.

Lulu and Gladiolus were the only ones who came with me today. The others had plans with friends or something of the sort. I can see Gladiolus picking some of the multicolored fallen leaves off the ground, examining them carefully before adding them to his bouquet or tossing them aside if they are, to his standards, defective. Lulu is playing alongside- not exactly with as Lulu doesn't directly play with other children, more so accompanying them in what they do- some of the children around her age.

My fingers remain entangled in the hairs on Twila's back, content with the beautiful, shiny, new playground that was bestowed upon us by the head council of this lovely city. A gust of wind blows softly from behind us, carrying the crisp scent of early autumn past, picking up a few leaves along the way and scattering them in a colorful dance. Gladiolus cheers happily in the distance, jumping up in the air and running into a pile of leaves built up at the base of a tree causing more leaves to dance and spread out. At the exciting sight of the young boy she is familiar with screech happily before running into leaves, Twila bolts from her position next to me to join my brother in his merrymaking.

"H-hey! Twila! Come back!" Parents surrounding me shoot me dirty glares. _Control your dog_ they want to say. I know they want me to feel embarrassed, frightened, shameful, or something along those lines while chasing down my dog and promising to never do it again, but Twila is completely safe. She just has random bouts of disobedience that only happens when she becomes fidgety. I should have noticed, but I didn't. I was watching the children, feeling the season, sorting out my thoughts. I can't help but feel like it shouldn't be me here with the children. A certain panicky sensation overtakes me. _I __shouldn't be here, _I think, _this shouldn't be me here. This isn't right._ I breathe deep breathes in and out to try and calm myself down like Aerith and Cloud have told me to do before. For the past few months, after the death of my parents, Cloud has been keeping a close eye on me to make sure I don't have a relapse. Cloud has always been there for me, but again, something is wrong.

I love Cloud, truly I do with all my heart, but this is getting out of hand. He doesn't occupy my every thought, nor does he make my knees weak with the sound of his voice or the slight feather-light brush of his arm against mine, but the thought of confessing to him is enough to make my mind draw a blank after hours of thinking non-stop. My mind is tired; _I'm_ tired of this. I have decided today would be the day to confess to him. There is no other day more perfect than today. The sky is slightly cloudy; the temperature is seventy degrees, low humidity, and average pollen count, not to mention I am over this. Does he love me? Does he not? I will not resort to picking a flower. I need to ask him myself to keep a hold of some of my dignity.

I asked him to meet me here today. He said he would bring some of his siblings to play with Glad and Lulu as well as bring Rusty for Twila. Kill three birds with one stone he said. It may be useless if he does do those two things. Glad is kicking leaves at Twila while she tries to bite them mid air, and Lulu is playing alongside three other girls, one with blonde hair, one with dark hair, and the last with brown hair.

It seems to be as soon as I look over at them does the girl with brown hair fall down and begin to cry. I feel the urge to run over, soothe her and ask if she is okay, but remind myself that she has her own parents; parents who probably don't take too kindly to strangers talking to their children. I wait, I do, but her angelic cries are tugging at heartstrings and nobody else seems to care. Throwing all caution to the wind I run towards where my sister stands, observing the situation calmly while the blonde is trying hard to stop her friend's hurt. They see me coming and back up, and when I get closer I realize the crying brunette is Yuna, Aerith's younger sister. I pick the two-year-old up and cradle her against my chest, her arms wrapping around my neck and face pressed on my shoulder. My sleeve collects her tears, but I don't care.

"Shh. It will all be okay, Yuna." I hush her cries so she isn't wailing anymore. "Can you look at me for a minute?" I feel her rub her face on my shoulder in a clumsy nodding motion before drawing back to stare at me with mismatched teary eyes. Her left eye is blue and her right is green, but despite their differences they both cry the same with the twin ability of breaking hearts. "Can you show me what hurts?" She nods again before wiping her nose with the sleeve of her shirt and sniffling. She scoots back off my lap and onto the soft playground floor. Cautiously two fingers point at red skinned knees with blood slowly oozing out of the openings.

"It hurts." She whimpers before sniffling again allowing more tears to crawl down her round cherubic face.

"I know, baby, I know." _This is wrong. You are not her mother. You are nobody's mother. What gives you the right to do this? _I grab a tissue from my pocket and hand it to her. Slowly she dabs at her eyes and nose while she waits for me to magically heal her. Unfortunately, I can do no such thing. Solemnly I dig another tissue out of my pocket and lick it a couple of times to make it the very least bit damp. The taste is awful, but I push that thought aside to clean the blood off of her legs. I get a little around her cut before she howls in pain and I am forced to leave it be. She is still whimpering with the tissue seemingly glued to her face. Maybe Aerith has better supplies with her. "Can you show me where Aerith is, sweetie?"

Yuna shakes her head, her braid swishing from side to side. "Aerith is home."

"Who brought you here?"

"Brother did." She mumbled. Brother? I do not know her brothers that well. Sora is the only one I would be able to pick out in a crowd, but after scanning the playground I can't see him. Just as I am about to give up and ask Yuna again the physical embodiment of rage and maternal possessiveness appears directly behind me.

"What the _fuck_ do you think you are doing with my sister?"

Slowly I turn around, cautiously, on high alert to come face-to-face with the head of the Leonhart household- the brother I have never met before and heard so little about he was basically an enigma- Leon Leonhart. Messy brown hair ends at the base of his neck, and stormy gray-blue eyes glare at me, reaching his arms out to snatch his sister from my comforting arms. I see Yuna squirm a bit to get a more comfortable position on his hips as she was a bit more adjusted to mine. She giggles before poking his nose and then pinching it.

"Language." She says before shifting upwards to kiss the pink scar on his forehead reaching above his right eye to his nose. The man's eyes soften for a minute, staring lovingly at his sister before turning back to me angry once again.

"Answer me." He growls and I begin to think that he might actually be worse than a mother. How are he and Aerith related?

"Okay, let me begin with this; Yuna here was playing with my sister, Lulu and these two other girls, when she fell. I waited for someone to take care of her, but no one was coming. When I got closer I noticed that she is the sister of my good friend Aerith. Uh... Your sister, I guess. She was crying because she has skinned knees so I was comforting her. And here we are now." His glare hasn't seemed to lessen through the recount of my story, but he does seem less murderous after finding out that I am a friend with Aerith.

"Who are you then?"

"My name is Tifa. Tifa Lockhart? I don't know if Aerith has mentioned me." I rub at the back of my head sheepishly, not completely aware if he has ever heard my name mentioned at all.

"Oh yeah." His shoulders drop as he relaxes a little. "Aerith and Cloud have both mentioned you before." _Cloud_. My heart swells a little at the information that he has talked about me before. _He will never love you._ I wince just the tiniest bit before continuing on cheerily.

"Oh, Cloud is my best friend!" Leon sort of reminds me of Cloud. Now that he isn't furious that I still exist, he has reverted into an emotionless state with a monotone voice.

"Yeah, he has mentioned that before, too. I'm Leon by the way."

"Aerith and Cloud have mentioned you, too." I say with a smile, perhaps to make him feel more comfortable as well. He is quite a handsome man, and I see the resemblance between him and Aerith to some degree, and a little with Sora as well, however not much with Yuna.

"I'm sure. Well, I guess I have to get going. I need to clean up Yuna."

"Me too. I am actually waiting for Cloud. Nice meeting you, Leon."

"You too, Tifa. See you around." With our little informal run-in done, I am prepared to go back to the bench I was occupying before.

"Goodbye, you two, it was nice meeting you as well." I smile and ruffle the dark gray haired and blonde children's hair before standing up again.

"My name is Rikku!" The blonde jumps up excited, speaking in broken English giving me the hint that English is not her first language.

"Oh, hello Rikku. And you are...?" I look into the eyes of the other girl, leaving Rikku's expressive green for this other girl's stone cold red.

"Paine." She finishes. I flinch slightly at the name, but manage to collect myself. _Who would name their child pain?_

"Nice to meet you, Paine. I will be over there if you girls need anything, okay?" Three heads nod in understanding and return to playing again. I walk back to my bench only to see it occupied by the blonde-haired object of my affections._ He will never love you_, the thought that choruses through my head. Before I can say a hello, Rusty has jumped up on me attempting to lick my face like Twila tried to do with Cloud only a month prior. "Why, hello Rusty. Nice to see you, too." I laugh and kiss her wet nose before placing her paws back down on the earth. "And hello to you too, Cloud." I say and take my seat next to him.

"Hello, Tifa." He responds, not meeting my eyes, but rather watches the siblings he brought dash across the park to join the other children on the playground. "How are you today?"

"Nervous." I say. I have to segway the conversation anyway. Might as well begin now.

"Nervous?" He asks. He stares at my face now, confusion written, practically plastered, across his face while mine probably looks nervous, or constipated. Emotional constipation. That is exactly what I am feeling right now. I nod my head slowly, not looking into his face just yet. My palms become sweaty and my tongue begins to itch. I curl my fingers into my palms, fingernails biting into skin creating crescent shaped marks. I scrape my tongue against my teeth to get rid of the burning itch. My eyes close and my throat begins to swell.

"Listen, Cloud. There is something I have been meaning to tell you, something that I have kept from you for a while. For ever actually." I chuckle nervously. His eyes burn into the side of my face; I feel it. He is telling me to continue. I need the strength to continue. I take in a deep choked breath, rubbing a moist hand against my neck to relieve some of the pressure. "I... there is no easy way to say this... so maybe I should just spit it out." I laugh again, low and embarrassed. "Cloud, I lo-"

"Tifa."

* * *

><p>Normally I would keep my space, but an emergency phone call from Riku has left me with little to no options. I could take Paine home myself, but she doesn't need to be there at the moment to witness the chaos that I am sure is going to go down at my house. There is no one else I could trust with the care taking of Paine than Tifa at the moment. She may hate me, but she loves children, and from the way I saw her interacting with them before, which of course warmed my heart, gave me all the answer I need.<p>

"Tifa, can I talk to you for a minute? Alone?" She glares at me as per usual, crimson eyes expressing her fury alone, but she complies anyway. I hear her softly mumble "I'll be right back," to Cloud before following me to my location a far enough distance to ensure privacy. I turn to face her, only to see her patience growing thin.

"Well? You wanted to talk, so talk." She growls, tucking a stray ebony lock behind her ear. Even furious she is beautiful. Her anger is just plain sexy, to be honest.

"There's an emergency at my house-"

"-Like I care-"

"-And I need someone to watch Paine while I go." I finish wincing just the tiniest amount at her interruption, but continuing strong anyway.

"Why do you need me, Sephiroth? Can't you just take her with you?" She sighs as I shake my head, silver hair dancing in the sunlight.

"I already thought of that, but this is something that she shouldn't be involved in. I just need you to keep her busy for, say, an hour or two? Then can you drive her home?" I am on the verge of pleading, and I do not plead for anyone. Anyone but Tifa apparently. I would get on my knees and crawl across cobblestone if it meant hearing her voice one last time. I would die to protect her, and that alone is not the extent of my love for her.

"Why don't you just ask the mother to pick her up." She sneers. To a normal man it would break his heart when she sneers, but to me this is all normal interaction between the two of us. Nothing is normal between us, and sadly it never will be.

"Sadly, the mother is dead." Her eyes soften for a moment, looking at me and yet not looking _at _me. She turns cold again in a matter of seconds, but hey, I was able to witness a look rather than a murderous glare on her face while she stands directly in front of me.

"Then why can't you-"

"-Look, Tifa." She glares for having been cut off, but I really need to go. "You are the only one I know I can trust with her life, got it?"

"Fine." She mumbles. "Give me your address." Quickly I pull out a business card I carry in my wallet and hand it to her.

"Just... call the number on that later. I really got to go. Thank you. Goodbye." And I quickly run off in the opposite direction to my car- a fancy silver convertible- and get in, driving away as fast as the speed limit will let me. I drive past many houses and buildings until I am at the edge of town, where all the larger estates are placed, and park my car in one of the driveways. I run up to the door and push it open, knowing it wouldn't be locked with my brothers here to man the entry.

As soon as I walk in I head straight for my office to meet with the lawyer who _apparently_ rescheduled the appointment from two weeks from now to today, _today._ He better be a fucking good lawyer if he thinks he can do this on such short notice. Simon Voliar, my parents' lawyer who only became relevant after their death. The sniveling man who thinks he is so much more important than anyone else in this messed up world.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Jenova." Voliar stands from the chair across from my desk arrogantly, holding his nose up in the air to prove his worth to the world. There is only he and I in the room. I close the door behind me quietly and cross the room to shake his hand.

"Afternoon, Sir." I remark bitterly, not owing him any respect or politeness. He glares at me from behind tiny spectacles balancing on a large bulbous nose. "Take a seat, make yourself comfortable." Venom slips out, enough to kill a man probably, but this man is just as vile, _volatile _as I am.

"It was quite rude to keep me waiting." He states, to which I glare.

"I had matters to attend to, _Sir._ This meeting was _very _short notice." A glaring contest commences over the desk and neither of us seems to be backing down until the coward coughs, adjusts his tie and sets his heavy ratty briefcase on top of _my _desk.

"As you are probably aware, your parents, Tristan and Kylie Jenova were very wealthy, upstanding," he glares openly at me, clearly thinking _unlike scum like you. You don't deserve their wealth, _"citizens of Radiant Garden. When Mrs. Jenova passed away during childbirth she had left her fraction of the fortune to her husband, but when he committed suicide months ago, that fortune went to all... twenty-two children?" The '_oh god' _under his breath shouldn't have been heard, but it was. My glare intensified even more now.

"And?" I growl, fully aware that I have an abnormal amount of siblings. It isn't my fault my parents were madly in love with each other.

The indigent huff that the man across from me gives signals the continuance of his reading. "It says here that each child gains a profit of $500,000 dollars. Misters Sephiroth, uh... you, Xemnas, Edward, Hope and Zexion are all in control of their own profits, and you will be in control of the _others_ until they reach the age of eighteen. By laws you are not allowed to remove money from their account. Only they can access it. You simply hold the files, so keep it safe. As for the property, the house now belongs to the eldest, again you. Finally, custody seems to be handed off to your mother's sister Tess."

"I wish to fight for the custody of my siblings." I respond, a little surprised at the amount of money each of us will receive, but not upset. More upset that this weasel speaks about my family with little care, as if we aren't really worth anything.

"I doubt there will be much of a fight. How old are you?"

"Twenty."

"There." He states, leaning over to pat my cheek. "You are of age. Have a good life, Jenova. I will keep in touch with you to let you know if anything changes."

"Thanks." I growl, removing the offending appendage from my face. He begins to pack his papers back up in the briefcase as I hand him my card. "Call me on this number next time." _Maybe then I won't have to hear from Riku that you _moved_ the appointment without my consent._

"Will do. Do you mind if I use the restroom before I leave?"

"Third door on the left when you turn left out of this room."

"Good man." I sigh to myself as the rat leaves my presence, settling into silence before my phone rings in my pocket.

_Just give me a reason,_

_Just a little bit's enough,_

_Just a second we're not __bro-_

"God damn it, Kadaj." I answer my phone, dragging a hand across my face. "Hello?"

"Sephiroth?" I bolt up out of my seat at the sound of her voice. The voice I wasn't expecting until an hour or so from now. "I need to bring Paine home now, she hit her head. She's fine, but she wants to go home." Her voice sounds... soft. So unlike the tone she usually carried when she is with or around me. The magic of Paine is mysterious and wonderful.

"Okay. Do you have a pen on you?" I ask her, silently hoping she will still be in a good mood.

"Umm... I think so? Yeah, okay. What is your address?"

"3 Lily Court. Got it?"

"Yeah, I am on my way."

"Wonderful. See you then, bye."

"Goodbye." She hangs up first, and I am spooked. Not only did she not sound like I was the most vile abomination on Earth to her, but she actually said goodbye. September twenty-seventh is my new favorite day. I head off to the living room to wait at the door, so none of my psychotic siblings can scare her off even more than I already have. There was only one thing I forgot to even think about. The man in my bathroom.

About eight minutes later, the sniveling rat scurries out of my bathroom with a large shit-eating grin on his face. "Smells good in there. Well, _did. _By the way, Jenova, your toilet is clogged." I might actually hate him more than Strife. At least Strife isn't _gross _and can _act_ like a decent human being. "Whelp. I gotta get going. Duty calls." He chuckles sinisterly to himself as if what he said was actually funny.

"Yeah, you have to go." I open the front door for him to leave only to be met with a confused Tifa and an indifferent Paine holding her head in pain. _God damn her name. Why did my parents have to name her pain?_ Just as the newest bane of my existence was about to leave, he spotted my love and then bad things began to happen. His pupils dilated and shifted lower to adjust to a position constantly referred to as bedroom eyes. He runs a greasy hand through dark graying hair as if to smooth it back more than the pounds of gel already did.

"Well hello, beautiful. You know, I don't think I have seen you around here before. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Simon Voliar, world class lawyer." I feel nauseated as I watch his eyes scan over her... assets. I try to hide my fury in front of her, as far as she knows; this is a completely innocent man.

"Not that famous." I remind him with a roll of my eyes as he turns his pig eyes to glare at me. She looks more pale than usual as she tries to hide herself behind her arms to avoid his leering gaze. He is making her uncomfortable, and that is enough for me to step in. "Ah, I am glad you made it home in time, dear." She quickly looks at me, blushing slightly in embarrassment from the lawyer, while giving me a '_what the hell' _face. "I was beginning to worry. Thank you for bringing Paine home." I tug her inside by her waist and pull her to my chest, wrapping my arms around her midsection, secretly loving the way she just seems to fit, and everything feels right.

She looks back at me astonished, and very flustered, as well as wary. I lean down to kiss her cheek, and _oh god, _it _is_ as soft as it looks. When retreating, in her ear I whisper, "just go along with it." She nods in understanding, before visibly relaxing against my chest, wrapping her hands around mine and resting her head against my chest.

"Of course, you know how much I love her." She is a really good actress, I have to hand it to her. She is even making me believe that she doesn't hate me. "But, not as much as I love you." And those are the words that I have been waiting to hear all my life, uttered by the woman of my dreams, but not in the way it needs to be. Not because she realized she loves me for real. It is all an act. She twists in my arms, stands up on her tiptoes and kisses the corner of my mouth, igniting a fire in my stomach that will not be easy to put out.

"I love you too." I smile sincerely. That being the truest statement I have said in the longest time. "Now, Sir. It is time for you to go, no?" I say, not breaking my gaze from the lovely youth in from of me.

Furiously, he nods his head before stepping out of the house, closing the door behind him with a _slam._

As soon as the door slams shut, she rips herself from my arms, not saying a word, just staring. Cheeks painted a slight pink; it almost looks like a natural blush. She stares at me warily from her distance away from me. I stare at her confused, not entirely sure why she hasn't run out of here yet in a fit of anger to tell Cloud, and then having to deal with him. Instead she keeps her distance silently and stares.

"You're daughter is very nice." My... daughter? I wasn't aware I had a daughter. The first thing said between us after the creepy man leaves is about my imaginary daughter?

"I don't have a daughter?" I answer, even though it comes out sounding like a question. She ponders again before laughing a little awkwardly while rubbing at her arms.

"Oh, Paine is your sister?" _Oh, Paine. She thought Paine was my daughter._

"Oh, god yes. I did not have a child at fifteen-years-old." I refrain from rolling my eyes because it might set her off, and she is in such a non-hateful mood I don't want it to ever end.

"Oh, goodness me." She giggles awkwardly again. She takes a step back, clearing her throat before speaking again. "It uh... it's... yeah. I got to go." She blushes a little more, but it still looks natural, I can tell by her posture she is very embarrassed, more than she is letting on.

"Alright, thanks for dropping off Paine." She looks back only once more before closing the door behind her. Paine stares at me for a second before shrugging and stalking off to the kitchen to get some ice for her head.

"So, who was that?"

"Oh, no." I say, realizing too late that I am not, and never will be alone in this house.

"Oh, yes. So tell us, brother, who was that and where can I get some." Kadaj throws an arm over my shoulder causing me to lean down a little more to his height. Quickly I shove him off me and into a different direction far away from me.

"That would be pleasurable." Yazoo slinks into the room until he is standing near Kadaj.

"She is like a diamond among rocks." Loz agrees before joining his two other brothers in their positions across from me.

"No, there is no way any of you will be going _anywhere_ near her. You will just break her." I glare menacingly at them, but the three of them just laugh. I try to ignore the fact that they seem to have been spying on us during the entire confrontation at the front door.

"You can't break a diamond." Zexion replies from the shadows of absolutely _nowhere_ until I find him leaning against the door. When did he get there?

"You all will find a way." The triplets laugh like deranged hyenas while Zexion continues to stare unamused at the rest of us. "Can I help any of you?" I run my hand back down my face tiredly again as I feel completely drained, and it's only a little after noon.

"What did the lawyer say?" Kadaj asks, smirking in a chilling way.

"Not much, Aunt Tess has custody, and mother and father left us 500 each." The looks of shock on the triplets' faces are priceless and I wish I waited until I had a camera. They look between each other and I can practically hear the list of items they want to buy run through their heads. Then realization dawns on them.

"We have to live with Aunt Tess?" Although there is nothing wrong with Aunt Tess, there also isn't anything right. She is nice, sure, but she doesn't have the same lifestyle as us, not to mention Uncle Jacques is abusive, and nobody wants that.

"Yes." I decide to leave out the fact that I am the top contender for custody. I want to watch them squirm and suffer for a little while before I tell them.

"Wait, can't you take care of us?" Loz grits out, hiding his anger just barely.

"Hmm... Well, I suppose I could... but what exactly is in it for me?" They glance at each other before throwing offers at me. I laugh at the new power I gained. _How do I get what I want from my siblings? How to I get them to listen so well? Well, I just threaten them with Aunt Tess. Works every time._ I laugh manically.

* * *

><p>I walk as fast as I can across the lot without looking suspicious, or otherwise purposefully sneaky. Flashing thoughts invade my conscious mind as I enter my car in order to <em>leave <em>already. The atmosphere of his mansion, although _very _spacious and unearthly _gorgeous, _is suffocating me to no ends. White hot anger courses through my body, but for once it is not directed at the silver-haired demon. Instead I am beyond furious with myself. No one said I had to lean up and kiss his lips, so why did I do it? Technically it was only the corner of his mouth, but that's no excuse. I shake my head and pull my car into reverse. That shouldn't matter. I didn't have to, there was no need to. My life wasn't in any danger. No one was forcing me to do it. So, why bother?

And just like that balance is restored to the universe as I am muttering profanities under my breath at said silverette. My life wasn't in any danger. There was no need to pretend like he and I were married, or dating, or whatever the _fuck _that was. And the universe is thrown off balance again when I remember that he was just- for whatever reason he may have- being kind to me. He must have noticed my discomfort and come to my aide to get the portly man to stop trying to undress me with his eyes. Then again it could just be because he hates the man and wanted to exact revenge on him by pulling his "doll" away from him. _Life isn't about you. Why would he be kind? How would that benefit him? Worthless trash, taking advantage of other people. Flaunting your body _every-fucking-where_ you go. You're sick._

"Fuck this! Fuck you! Fuck me! Fuck my life!" I yell at nothing, officially having lost my mind. This whole thing is driving me insane. _What _are his intentions? _Why _did he do what he did? _Why am I thinking about this?_ _Why do I _care? Angry tears stream down the sides of my face successfully blocking my vision of the road in front of me. Out of precaution for the safety of me and others I pull over to the side of the street, parked next to an empty lot leading into a forest. I get out of the car and lock it before running full speed to the beginning of the tree line.

The chilled wind beats hard against my face as I run against the current. The wet trails left on my face burn so bad, but I ignore it in favor of getting to the destination in mind. The middle of nowhere. Branches swipe my face with their sharp ends, twigs and rocks make me stumble, but I never officially lose my balance. Once or twice a thorn bush tears my seemingly flawless skin leaving angry red marks in their wake, only adding to my growing list of imperfections. The forest is getting darker and darker as I run into it, but I am not afraid of the dark. Never have been and I'd be damned if I started now. The only sound heard is the pounding of my feet against the hardening cold earth accompanied by the scuttle of the rocks that get in my way as they tear off in different directions to make way for me. A golden light in the distance grows with each thudding step I take until I can practically feel the warmth of the sun on my now torn skin. A clearing in the heart of the forest.

My nowhere is fast becoming my favorite somewhere. The trees stand in a circle leaning away from the area I now stand, with only a large rock in the middle and large twisting trunks swimming through the earth around my feet. Rich green grass as soft as a pillow blankets the area, unlike under the trees, which was covered in dirt and rocks. Warm golden sunlight streams into the open area, the sun hanging directly over head. In the secrets of my new sanctuary, I test the softness of the grass by falling down onto my knees and folding my arms atop the rock. Laying my head into the nest I created with my limbs I cry.

Cry like I couldn't before. I let it all go, all the pent up stress, anger, sadness, confusion. It is released through choked, labored breaths, shaking body and water falling from my eyes.

"Fuck me." I gasp out between breaths, breaking apart the two words unintentionally before crying harder than before. Thoughts of my mother and my father come to mind. Being told they died on a mission taking place in a foreign land. That the very group they were hunting had taken them down. Thoughts of my grandmother who had passed away when I was fourteen. She always used to come over and cook for us traditional family meals and take care of us when mom and dad were gone on missions. Thoughts of Cloud, of how he can never love me back, or of Sephiroth and how I may not actually hate him as I tried to convince myself I did. Thoughts of my family, of how I am their rock. They rely on _me_ now. I am their mother figure, I should be strong, I shouldn't cry around them, near them, for them, with them; I should be the one consoling them. I'm damn well _sick _of it. I'm sick of trying. I'm sick of failing. I'm _fucking_ sick of people thinking I'm so _fucking _perfect when in reality I another damn human being. A real shitty person.

Here I am all of these years trying hard to hate a person because he and my best friend didn't get along. Because they are rivals, because they have fights that end up with broken bones and blood everywhere. I acted like a total _bitch_ to a man who probably cares about his family if he would go out of his way to take his sister to the park. And- _Holy shit!_ He said the mother is dead. His mother is dead. More tears cascade down my face when I realize what a horrible person I have been to someone who could be having just as hard of a time as I am, maybe even worse. I listen to myself now. I am not a good person, nor am I beautiful, or special, or important. I take advantage of people. My family doesn't need me, my friends don't need me, I am not needed.

_Nobody said it was easy_

_It's such a shame for us to part_

_Nobody said it was easy_

_No one said it would be this hard_

_Oh, take me back to the start_

I remove my head from my arms, ignoring the stinging coming from my abused eyes and how both my arms and the rock are now slicked wet with water. I pull the phone from my pocket to look at who is calling. Cloud Strife appears on the screen and for the first time in forever I can't bring myself to want to have anything to do with him. With careless aim, I hurl my phone far into the distance, listening to the satisfying crack that is makes when it hits against a tree before falling to the ground in multiple pieces.

And then I got to more thinking, which is a very dangerous thing to do in my position especially considering my thoughts as of late, and I probably shouldn't listen to myself, but I figured I have done enough of that lately. _Perhaps everyone's lives would be a little better if I just... disappeared for a while._ _I doubt anyone will really notice I am gone. _It is a thought, maybe not the best one, but I am just too tired to put up much of a fight. I can give everyone a new life, a better one. With me gone everyone can finally move on maybe. The only question is, should I just stay here in my sanctuary, or continue on my way through this forest to the next town over?

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>Chapter five, yay! And this one has Sephiroth, too. Too bad he had to interrupt before the big confession, huh? Although, to be honest, if this is a Tifa and Sephiroth story, why would anyone care about Tifa and Cloud? We will see, we will all see! So the usual, review your idea, I would love to hear them. I want to know if anyone is truly into this, and the best way is through reviews or follows, right? By the way, a little disclaimer down here in the mostly unread author's notes, there is some yaoi in here, not too much that it is seen throughout the story with explicit boy-love scenes, but yeah. Beware I guess. The rock I mentioned, I said is large, but that was only because I didn't know how to describe it. It's more like a dining chair kind of thing, so maybe more medium sized? Eh, whatever, it's a rock. Also, write what you think will happen, will she stay in the forest, or go? Anyway, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year! And although I'm sure nobody cares, a happy nineteenth to my half-sister! I love you, Christine!

**Halcyon Eve: I am so sorry about the typos, I really am. I read over it quickly the first time, post it, then ****read over it again later and fix the errors. The errors in chapter four have not been changed yet, but I will get to it. Thank you so much for sticking with me, and for the compliments as well. I am glad the length went down well, I'll try to keep it around that as best as I can. Two kids, wow. I have many siblings so maybe I can relate to some degree? Happy Holidays by the way, and a Happy New Year to you personally!**


	6. The Lost Children

_**Snow White Queen**_

_You'll never know the way your words have haunted me_

* * *

><p><strong>Tuesday September 30th 2014 12:45 pm<strong>

_"Find Tifa."_

* * *

><p><strong>Saturday September 27th 2014 2:43 pm<strong>

_Is this a good idea though? What if someone misses me? My brothers and sisters... I will miss them so much. Cloud's family, too. But, no. This is for the best, probably. Maybe, I don't know. Maybe until I get my head on straight. I just need some alone time in a new location, right? Right. _I wrap my arms around my body, hugging myself tightly as I make my way through the darkening woods while listening to the soft crunch of the rocks and leaves underneath me. Without the sunlight, the air seems colder, crisper, and moister. Twigs snap as I step through, vines entangle themselves on whatever limbs they can grab, and I am beginning to feel like the woods are out to get me, even though that is ridiculous. I'm not scared in the least, just delusional.

A couple of weeks ago I forgot to refill my bottle after I ran out, so I just decided to wean myself off after deciding it was due time to get my life together and try to be happy without the use of pills. I understood the signs, the voices in my head telling me I am not good enough is enough, but I ignored them in favor of trying to live my life free, without burden. I have only seemed to burden myself further with thoughts that aren't mine, but seem so _real, _almost like it is me. My burden, the one I tried so hard to avoid, is being someone else's burden. It can't be helped, I am sick and I know it. Cloud and Aerith know it, but to my request we never spoke of it. Rude and Tseng... they wanted me to go to college to make me happier, to get me to live a life, and to prove they don't need me. _And to get rid of me._

_There is no need for me. _I clutch my head in agonizing pain, crying once more. Salty water drips down my face, tickling my nose and resting on top of my mouth. I lick my lips out of habit only to shudder at the taste of my own tears. My head hurts as the thoughts running through my head go faster and faster until the whole earth is spinning faster and faster. I stop walking to grip onto a tree and slide down, my shirt riding up as it gets grabbed and held onto by the thick, rough bark. I curl my fingers into my hair gripping my head harder to try and stop the pain. Tears continue sliding down my face as I try to control my breathing. A tear drops down and splashes when it hits the ground, dissolving into the tufts of grass at the base of the tree.

* * *

><p><strong>Sunday September 28th 2014 5:34 pm<strong>

"Yeah, I'll ask. Don't worry. Kay, bye." Rude disconnects from the call and places the phone back on its base. Cloud, as little as he did speak with as little emotion as usual, seemed almost worried about his sister. The whole Lockhart house has been a little confused at the disappearance of Tifa, but figured she can take care of herself. She is the best fighter out of all of them, so no physical damage can come to her. Cloud knows this, and yet he insisted something was wrong with Tifa the last time he saw her. Yuffie had already attempted to call her twenty-three times, because the twenty-third time is the charm in her opinion, but none of them would go through.

"Cloudy said he hasn't seen her since yesterday." The ebony haired ninja states sadly by Rude's side, leaning into him to rest her head on his shoulder despite their size differences. It is a known fact that Yuffie is never depressed, or disheartened. Even after the death of her parents she was the one to cheer them up, finding the positive side of the situation. And yet, nothing has been the same since yesterday. "I'm worried."

"We all are." Rude says, wrapping an arm around the sixteen-year-old in an attempt to comfort her in her time of need. "I just don't understand why she would disappear like this- or how, quite frankly."

"When she brought us home yesterday, she was acting weirdly." The duo turn to look at their youngest brother in astonishment, his hair is messy and his outfit doesn't match very well, as much as one can not match an almost entirely black outfit. Glad's forehead is scrunched up in confusion as he tries to recount what happened yesterday. His elbow rests on the arm wrapped around his midriff, placing his hand underneath his chin while he sticks his tongue out the slightest bit.

"What do you mean, Gladdy?"

He pauses for a moment, still running through the events in his head before responding. "She kept on muttering to herself in the car and when she brought that girl home to check on her. She seemed sad and confused, and when we left she didn't really talk to Cloud that long."

"Why didn't you say anything before?"

He just shrugs his shoulders as if the answer were obvious. "Nobody asked me about it."

The two of them look at each other, brown eyes meeting sunglasses, both expressing deep concern and worry for their sister. Yuffie always regarded Tifa as someone more motherly than their actual mother. While she was on missions Tifa would take care of the house, cleaning her siblings and making sure they were always safe. Whenever Yuffie fell down, or hurt herself while training with her parents, she would always be there with open arms and comforting words. With Tifa gone, there is a hole in the house, a certain hole that only Tifa could fill in.

Rude, however, felt as if someone punched him in the gut. There seemed to be a pain in his chest and a sick empty feeling in his stomach. It is no surprise to anyone that Tifa is his favorite person in the world. Even his best friend, Reno Sinclair, does not have her beat. When she was born Rude was only three-years-old and it was love at first sight. He saw the little baby placed in his arms and vowed to protect her. She never became a pest to him like little sisters should be, which only helped them get along so much better. She was always so strong and independent while growing up, that it seemed she never needed anyone to rely on. When their parents died she was the one trying to comfort everyone, not once taking her own feelings into account just making sure everyone else was okay first.

"Brush your hair." Vincent says as he steps next to Gladiolus, looking down at him with stolid crimson eyes. Vincent had always been passive and quiet, preferring to not get involved in conflict, but stepping into it only if he is needed, but after Tifa went missing he has become even moodier. He reeks of depression, but won't come forward about it, choosing to relish in his own pain than to burden someone else with it. Much like Tifa.

"Vincent how is Lulu?" Rude asks, concerned for his youngest sibling. Lulu has always regarded Tifa as her mother, not really remembering their actual mother. All she knows is that Tifa fills the position; gets her dressed, tucks her in, makes her food, helps her with homework. We tell Lulu that our parents are on a mission somewhere, but she isn't buying it anymore. To her it is another person who has walked out of her life, and to her it is because she did something wrong.

A shrug. "She threw her dolls at me while screaming. I tried to talk to Shiki too, but she locked her door. I heard crying." And right on cue Yuffie begins to cry for the first time in years. Her hand flies to her mouth, her eyes becoming watery, but she holds it back. But like a dam, she breaks releasing the captive water. She breaks down crying hysterically, choking on air and struggling to get the proper amount of oxygen in. Her body shakes and she begins to collapse, but Rude catches her and holds her close. She wraps her arms around his neck; he wraps his around her waist. His chin rests on her shoulder, not knowing what to say in this situation. He has never been the one to do these things. Tifa was always so good at this.

"I found this in Tifa's room." Vincent speaks up, holding an empty orange bottle in the palm of his hand.

"I told you not to go into her room." Rude whispers harshly, aware of the teenager still clinging for dear life on him.

"Did you know about this?" He asks, ignoring the previous statement in favor of getting his point across.

"No. What is it? Birth Control?" Vincent only shakes his head before reading the white label glued onto the side of the pill bottle.

"Prozac. Prescribed to Tifa K. Lockhart."

* * *

><p><strong>Saturday September 27th 2014 3:03 pm<strong>

I dry my eyes against the sleeve of my shirt and continue walking in my chosen direction with hope of getting there before dark comes around. It is to my understanding that if I should continue walking this way I will come across Hollow Bastion, sister city to Radiant Garden. Once I get there, I don't know what to do. I don't have a phone anymore, and the money I do have with me in currently in the car I left behind. Maybe I can get a job? But where will I stay? _I will figure it out when I get there. _The thought of starting new gives my head a break from the depressive thoughts I have been having lately.

I have been walking for a while now, but I am not quite sure how close I actually am. If I decided to walk back the way I came, which I won't, I would probably find myself walking for an hour, or maybe more realistically, forty-five minutes. My stomach growls, but I ignore it. I should have eaten lunch, but I didn't have the time. Running away was a last minute thought I made while confused, but it is what I am going with at the moment.

I catch a glimmering to the right of my eye for just a brief second, but enough for it to make an impression. Glancing to the side, I try to search for the source of the shine, but I can't see anything out of the ordinary. I trail to the side off of my path out of curiosity, keeping my eyes trained on the dirt and leaves in front of me searching for the object. Brushing around with my feet I try to find the thing. I am about to give up when finally I find something. I bend down to pick it up, lightly dusting the dirt off of the tiny trinket. A golden locket in the shape of a heart lays in the palm of my hand with the chain still attached. Engraved on the surface of the heart in cursive writing it reads _Chloe, my heart belongs to you. _I smile a little at the gift before trying to open it. It takes a couple of tries before I am able to finally pry the little piece of jewelry open. Inside is a picture of a fair woman with brown hair and blue eyes standing next to a man with blonde hair and brown eyes. They stare lovingly into each other's eyes, even as I close the lid they seem to eternally long for each other.

I get back to my path, placing the locket into my pocket with a small smile on my face. Maybe I can help return the locket to the person who is missing it.

* * *

><p><strong>Sunday September 28th 2014 6:15 pm<strong>

I open my door to avoid its breaking. Whoever is on the other side seems adamant on actually breaking the door down instead of waiting to be invited inside like a patient human being. I step back to welcome whoever is on the other side, but realize my mistake only a moment to late. Before I get the chance to close the door the fist of the other person makes contact with my face, and I am knocked back a couple of steps. He steps into my house and closes the door behind him, absolutely seething. I _knew _this would happen.

"Come in." I remark sarcastically, gesturing to his position in front of me about three feet away. He growls like a feral animal before launching himself at me again.

"You bastard! What did you do to her?" He screams, trying to land a punch wherever he can, but often missing due to my blocks. I join the fight, throwing hits of my own in there in order to attempt to remove him from me. I manage to land one on his eye and cheek, but he also gets me on the nose and lip. We continue in silence save for the grunts of exertion and pain when flesh makes contact with flesh. Finally we step back from each other, hateful green meeting unforgiving blue. The skin on his knuckles are cracked, bleeding slightly from hand-to-hand combat without the use of gloves, and going by the pulsing stinging pain in mine I will guess that mine are in about the same condition as his.

"I have no idea what you are talking about!" I yell, forgetting about the other people in the house temporarily. I feel my lip split open further at the strain, but ignore it as well as the raw pain around my left eye when I glare.

"Cut the crap, Jenova! She brought your sister back to you yesterday and never returned. What. Did. You. Do?" He growls, unaware that he has just said the exact thing Tifa had said to me just a month prior. _Cut the crap, Jenova. _Jealousy and rage pumps through my body with my blood, which creates a hideous monster out of any man.

"Maybe she is just hiding from _you, _Strife. Ever thought of that?" He launches forward to land a punch again, but I duck away just in time. He snarls like a feral cat, lips peeled back to show off his teeth. Blood dribbles down from the corner of his mouth, which he wipes away almost instantly.

"Of course I have." He spits, surprising me to even think Tifa would hide from her _dearly beloved. _"But the fact that she hasn't come home in twenty-four hours, nor the fact that she isn't returning anyone's calls tipped me off! In fact, it seems the last person to have even seen her happens to be _you. _So let me repeat myself- what the _fuck _did _you _do to her!" He screams, clearly outraged, but not just at me. Yes, he thinks I have something to do with this, which I don't, but he seems angrier at the fact that I was the last to see her.

"It's not _my_ fault your girlfriend is missing, jackass! You can't come into people's homes and punch them because you feel like it! What? Are you jealous that I was the last one to see her before she apparently 'disappeared off the face of the Earth?' Is that it? Bet you're wishing you could be me right now!" I taunt, knowing full well that you should never poke an angry bear with a stick, but I just don't seem to care. Like a ton of bricks come crashing down, I feel broken beneath their weight. Tifa is apparently missing, and has been since yesterday after she saw me. She hasn't even told Cloud where she was going, so it must be big.

"I would never want to be like you!" He declares, thrusting an accusing finger in my direction. _That would make two of us, _I think to myself, not once easing up on my glare. Her missing, and no one knowing where she is is really putting a damper on my mood. Cerulean eyes are bent and distorted with hatred, a hatred burning brighter than any fire I have ever seen. He squeezes his hands tight causing more blood to ooze out slowly and drip on my clean floors.

I continue glaring before dropping it with a sigh. Now I am just not in the mood to fight. "Did you contact the police? File a missing persons report?" I ask, walking over to the living room with Cloud following confusedly behind me. When I spare a glance behind me I am only met with the sight of him glaring daggers into my eyes. I turn away and smile a little when I hear him huff, but continue onward anyway.

"Her family is taking of it." He mutters silently, but still loud enough for me to hear.

"So you want to know what I know?"

* * *

><p><strong>Saturday September 27th 2014 4:17 pm<strong>

I hear the car horns in the distance before I see the light of day. The loud bustling of the dark city in the distance excites me and in anticipation I start to speed my walk up to a gait before transitioning into a full out run. I laugh as I breathe, a grin so large it is hard to believe that I am someone who has just _run away from home. _Here my story does not matter though. Where Radiant Garden is warm and inviting, Hollow Bastion is cold and uncaring. The city is bustling with life and activity, but no one knows anyone. Large apartment buildings line dark and dirty streets. Sidewalks are over-crowded with people pushing past one another to get to the place they need to be. Cars, if not speeding down the road, are caught in terrible traffic with angered people inside cursing and honking at the people around them. There isn't a part of the entire city that isn't pavement or building besides the forest I just stepped out of. Truly amazing, and I haven't figured out if that is bad or not yet.

Cautiously I step onto the sidewalk that is parallel with the tree line. The people are ignoring me- the girl who had just came out of no where- in favor of loudly chatting into their phones. To avoid being pushed I keep with the flow of traffic, lining up with the people beside me, and just walk in a direction I don't know where it will take me.

I continue walking down the streets, completely in awe at how everything towers so high above my head, and occasionally asking people if they know whom the necklace I found belongs to. My stomach is still groaning slightly, protesting against me not having eaten anything, and while it is slightly my fault I choose not to acknowledge that. So far nobody has had any information about the locket, but that doesn't mean I won't stop looking.

"Excuse me, miss?" I look around for the source of the voice only to see a small child looking up at me with hopeful eyes. He has light brown hair and bright blue eyes, and I am almost positive I have never seen him before, but I can't shake the feeling that he is familiar. His whole body is tense and I want to ask what is causing his problem, but maybe if I am lucky he will just tell me.

"Yes?" I ask, leaning down slightly to be able to hear him better. We have stopped at the mouth of an alleyway, so no one will push us around if we stop for a minute or so.

"Were you about to walk through there?" He asks slowly, pointing a slender finger in the direction of the alley I was about to head to, so I nod. I see him shake his head violently, so I put my hand on his shoulder, about to ask what is wrong before he yells, "No! You can't do that!"

I tilt my head to the side in confusion. "I can't? Why not?" He stares wide eyed at me before glancing behind his back, and when I look back as well I don't see anything.

"No! Don't look!" He yells over the crowd again so I can hear him. I stare at him in wonder. _How old is he. He can't be older than ten. Maybe eight._

"Why not?" I ask again calmly, hoping he will answer my question this time and maybe tell me why he is tense and shaking so badly.

"Umm... B-because- no! Don't look back there- because I am lost. I need to get home before it gets dark." I wonder if his mother has ever taught him about talking to strangers, because it seems to me that this boy is missing that very important rule. _City children._

Shaking my head side-to-side I stand up straight and offer my hand out for him to take. "Where do you live?"

"In the Castle Apartments in downtown east on Melrose Avenue." I nod my head and together we walk hand-in-hand down a couple of streets. He still glances back every once in a while to my amazement, muttering to himself as he does. He nudges me in certain directions saying something about remembering to go this way maybe.

"What's your name?" I ask him while he is glancing back one time, startling him for a second. He looks up at me with those huge eyes, blinks once then twice before squeezing my hand a little.

"Denzel."

"Denzel." I test the sound on my tongue before nodding my head. Denzel suits him well. "Alright Denzel, do you want to tell me why you are continuously looking back over your shoulder?"

He looks at me again for a second before turning around again. "Not yet." He states. Very quickly he pulls me through an alleyway. "Hurry! Run this way." Not quite sure what to do I speed up to keep up with him. We round the corner of one of the buildings only to see it is a dead-end. "_Shit_." He swears before looking up at me. "I mean _crap. _No time to explain. Can you climb?" Confusedly I nod. "Good. Help me up and then follow. Hurry! There isn't much time left." I make a lift with my arms for Denzel to boost him over the edge. I make sure he has climbed over the wall completely before I start. Just as I am about to drop down to the other side I hear the sounds of footsteps coming closer. "What are you waiting for? C'mon!"

"Denzel." I say after we have run for a while. We have just rounded onto Melrose Avenue before I stopped us. "I need answers. Why were we running?" He stares quizzically at me for about a minute, tucking a hand under his chin in thought before answering me, but again not answering the question.

"What is your name?"

"What?" I ask dumbly. Should I tell him my name and risk being found?

"Your name. What is it? I told you mine, so tell me yours. Then I will tell you why we were running." I nod once. Fair trade.

"You can call me Kaylee." I say. He stares at me with calculating eyes, trying to detect a lie.

"Alright, but is that your name?" It sort of scares me that this young child actually knows when someone isn't telling the full truth.

"Yes." I flinch at the half-lie. Kaylee is my name. It's just my middle name. Denzel stares at me for the longest time, just stares. He doesn't say anything as he scans my eyes thoroughly.

"Alright." He says, sounding like he doesn't quite believe it, but will roll with it for now. "Okay, _Kaylee, _the reason we were running away is because there were some men behind us. I walked past them before and they were saying mean stuff about you." _Oh, that's it? _I laugh a little, which confuses Denzel immensely.

"Oh, Denzel," I rub his head affectionately, "we didn't have to run away. A lot of people say mean things behind peoples backs." He looks slightly irritated and I don't know if it is because I was rubbing his head or if it is for some other reason.

"_No! _They were saying mean stuff! They planned on following you into an alleyway and-and-and..." He starts hyperventilating and I realize the direness of the situation. They were not _just _saying mean things behind my back. Now I am left to wondering just how innocent this kid is. Yeah, he knows about rape, he curses to some degree, he doesn't know not to talk to strangers and I found him wandering the streets alone. But on the other hand he just referred to those bastards dirty talking as 'saying mean stuff.' I pull Denzel to my chest, trying to calm him down.

"In and out, Denzel. Take deep breaths. There you go." I pull back when he has his breathing under control again. He doesn't look me in the eye right away, choosing to look at the darkening sky instead. "We should bring you inside." I say, to which he just nods.

"There's someone you have to meet anyway." He takes me by the hand once more and leads me down the street to his apartment building.

"Really? Who?" I ask, supposing he means his parents, but I want to start a conversation and get him talking about a calming topic.

"My sister." We make it down the road and stop in front of a run-down apartment building that looks like it wants to fall down, but is too stubborn. Some of the windows are broken and the door is sealed shut. I begin to think we have the wrong place, but the banner above the door clearly says Castle Apartments.

"You live here?" I ask wary of going in. How does he even get in with the door sealed shut. I go up to the door to test it, but a tiny hand grips my wrist.

"Yes, but we can't go in that way." He pulls me down another alleyway so we now stand in front of the back of the building. Two large dumpsters stand in front of the edifice filled to the brim with garbage. Denzel pushes one to the side by himself only to reveal a hole in the building that he climbs through. He all but disappears into the hole and I debate whether or not I should follow. He sticks his head out again to look at me. "Well, are you coming?"

I nod before getting on my hands and knees and crawl in after him. He orders me to slide the bin back into place so I do just that. We stand in dark room behind a staircase from what I can tell. The room is dark and I wouldn't be able to find my way through if it weren't for Denzel who gripped my hand and led me through the room. Now we stand in a lobby that must have been beautiful when it was still alive. Now it is just dusty and broken with overturned furniture that has it's stuffing hanging out. The paintings are scratched and ripped apart. Even the tiles are shattered.

"Come on. This way." With one last look at the lobby I follow behind Denzel and up the staircase. We stay on the second floor and when I ask Denzel why he says it is because it is easier for him to get in and out.

"Denzel? Do you live alone?" He gives me a look that reads _are you ridiculous?_

"No, I live with my sister."

"Okay." I say, imagining his sister to be at least my age. Someone has to take care of the poor child.

"We're here" He says, knocking on a door that says A, but due to the fact that there is an outline of a seven there leads me to believe this is actually 7A. He digs his hand through his pocket before slipping a key into the lock. Seeing my confused look he says, "knocking for courtesy." He pushes the door open as he slips the key back into his pocket. "Marlene! I'm home!" _Marlene. That name sounds familiar._

A hacking cough sounds from the other side of the apartment, but Denzel pays no mind as he takes off his shoes by the door and instructs me to do the same. I look around at the room, kind of terrified to see how he is living. The couch in the living room, much like the ones in the lobby, is coated in dust and has the stuffing falling out. Paintings are hung precariously on the walls, hanging crookedly or upside down all together. The whole place smells musty and kind of moist.

I see Denzel walk off to a different room, so I follow him. He ends up standing in a small bedroom that holds only a single broken twin bed and a simple flowerpot with dying flowers in it. As I get closer I see I have been mistaken. On the bed covered in many thin blankets is a very young girl, looking to be around the age of four or so. She has terribly pale skin; at some parts her veins are very apparent. She is very skinny as if she hasn't eaten in days and looks as frail and _dead_ as the flowers in that pot. Dark brown hair lays everywhere on her pillow as she rest, moving slightly as she leans her head to the side to let out a nasty sounding cough. As her eyelids flutter slightly, I catch a glimpse of brown and it all suddenly makes sense.

_"Marlene Wallace?"_

* * *

><p><strong>Sunday September 28th 2014 7:05 pm<strong>

"So that's what happened?" Cloud leans back softly on the couch he is currently occupying. I have just finished retelling the story of what happened yesterday during the time I saw Tifa. At first it seemed like Cloud didn't want to believe me, and got angry at the part when I told him I pretended to be the boyfriend of Tifa, but after I explained the lawyer situation he calmed down.

"Yeah, that is all I know. So I don't really know much about her disappearance." I shrug my shoulders, a little surprised at how much Cloud has actually calmed down. But it seems it is because we have one thing in common. We care about Tifa. "I hope she is okay." I throw in, staring at Cloud, more than a little surprised that his eyes actually meet mine.

"Yeah... Me too."

* * *

><p><strong>Saturday September 27th 2014 8:33 pm<strong>

"Denzel! How do you know Marlene?" I gasp, grabbing onto his shoulders and shaking him slightly. He stands stark still as he regards my question carefully.

"She was abandoned on the streets, and I found her. She had no where else to go, so I said she can live with me. Now she is sick." He says, a little more sadly at the last part when he glances over at her sickly form, body shuddering slightly as strong wicked coughs rack through her weakened body.

"Denzel, listen to me. Did you know that Marlene is all over the news? Her father is looking for her!" It is true, Barret Wallace, a mechanic who lives in Radiant Garden has been looking for her for about three weeks now. Apparently some men stole her while she played outside the auto shop. Her face is all over the news pleading for anyone who knows where she is to bring her forward so she can go back home. Anyone who finds her would be given a very generous reward.

"Of course I know that!" He yells softly, slapping my hands away from his shoulders so I can stop squeezing so hard. "She is all over the news! I have been asking if anyone knows the Wallace family, but nobody does! I need them to come here to pick her up! She can't move anywhere else or she will die!" I glance over at Marlene, sadness taking over again as I think about the poor child who never asked for this illness, never asked to be taken away from her father only to end up in the slums of Hollow Bastion.

"What is she sick with? Do you know?" I ask, slightly scared that I might know what the answer is. I don't want to jump to conclusions, especially not this one.

He shrugs his shoulders. "I'm not a doctor." He states plainly.

"We might need to get her to a hospital." Please, don't let it be. She is just a young child.

"You think I haven't thought of that! We have no money! We can't afford hospitalization!" He yells at me, no longer attempting to keep his voice down.

"If we don't take her she might die!" I yell back, still attempting to keep my voice down for Marlene's sake.

"I know that! Fuck, Kaylee, I know that! How could I not when I am reminded everyday!"

"I'll pay. Let me pay!" I scream unaware of the girl waking up slightly.

"It's not just about the money, god damn it!" He growls. "It's about identities, too! If I am caught I go to an orphanage! If she gets caught then she will be exploited for money! I have seen the advertisements! I'm not stupid! We have nicknames around here to avoid getting caught!"

"Is it worth it? Is it worth her dying?" I bite back. Marlene blinks at us deliriously using her arms to pick her up into a semi-sitting position slowly.

"Of course not, but we have no other choice!"

"Guys?" Marlene's soft voice stops us both from fighting. Denzel immediately cheers up when he sees her up, smiling and going over to her side, taking her small hand in his.

"How are you feeling?" He asks quietly. _Now he is being quiet._

"Still hurts." She says, rubbing at her chest. "Who is she?" She glances over in my direction, looking at me with large, kind brown eyes.

"She says her name is Kaylee. She might be staying with us for a while, I think." Marlene looks up expectantly at me again, silently asking if I will stay.

"Okay, sure. Fine by me." Denzel and Marlene nod their heads. With introductions aside we decide to get to know each other better.

* * *

><p><strong>Tuesday September 30th 2014 6:45 pm<strong>

"There is a missing persons report for Tifa Kaylee Lockhart. She disappeared at around two o'clock pm Saturday afternoon. Police found her car left by the edge of a forest near the edge of town. There appears to have been no struggle, however within the forest the police reported a broken phone smashed at the base of a tree. After asking friends and family it was confirmed that the phone did belong to Ms. Lockhart. She has long black hair, red eyes and is said to be eighteen-years-old. If anyone has any information regarding Tifa, please call the number below. Her family misses her dearly and only wants her back safe and sound."

"I can't believe this."

* * *

><p><strong>Friday October 3rd 2014 6:09 pm<strong>

"Hey, Kaylee! Marlene! I'm back!" Denzel calls through the front door carrying some food with him. Everyday Denzel will go down to Tony's Restaurant to pick up some food. The chefs there love him like a son, and feeling bad for his situation they will give him food free of charge. He feels bad about it so will only go down once a day. It was hard adjusting at first, but I have finally trained myself to only eat one meal a day. A couple of things have changed since I moved in with Marlene and Denzel. I only eat one meal a day, that's the first, secondly I sleep on the couch, and third it is hard to take a shower when there is no running water. It rains often in Hollow Bastion, so Denzel will line buckets up in lots of places throughout the buildings in order to collect enough water to hold us over for a while.

"What did Tony and the boys have ready for us today, Tramp?" I ask jokingly. To avoid giving away their real identities, Denzel is called Tramp and Marlene is referred to as Lady. They don't know about me yet, but haven't started asking questions either when Denzel hinted at needing another serving.

"Spaghetti and meatballs I think. I didn't really check because I didn't want it to get cold." I nod my head and sit on the floor in the living room. He silently hands me my plate, to which I say my thanks, before he heads down the hall to give Marlene her serving. By the time her joins me back in the living room he is silent like usual. Ever since a couple of days ago he has had these really awkward silences around me, and sometimes doesn't look at me. He wants to ask me something, I know he does, but whenever he gathers the courage to do so he just backs out at the last minute.

"Oh my gosh. I completely forgot to ask you." I slap my forehead lightly before reaching into my pocket and pulling out the golden chain. "I was asking around on my first day here," I was too busy looking at the necklace that I didn't see him stiffen slightly before relaxing a little forcefully, "that I forgot to ask you if you know who this locket belongs to." He holds his hands out, palms upturned waiting for me to drop the necklace in his hands. I let the small trinket slide between my fingers into his hands. It takes less than a minute for his expression to turn into pure shock. Tiny fingers press the button to flip the lid of the heart open and he gasps in surprise.

"Where did you find this?" He demands, looking at me, impatiently awaiting his answer.

"In the woods outside of this city." I say, slightly confused by his reaction.

"Wait right here." He says before running down the hall to where his room is. It isn't long before he is running back to me with an object pressed tightly against his chest. "The locket, it belongs- belonged," he corrects himself, "to my mother." _That's why he looks so familiar! He looks exactly like his mother._

"Oh." I blink slowly, realizing that all this time I have kept the locket with me when it really belongs to the person in front of me. "Where is your mother now?" He looks at the locket and to the object in his hand before handing it off to me. In my hands I hold a small picture frame with the glass shattered in the middle, spider webbing out to the corners. The same man and woman in the locket are in the photo as well smiling beautiful at the camera. The only difference is that Denzel is sitting in-between them smiling close-lipped _exactly _like his mother.

"They... got into a car accident... and they died at the hospital." I gasp softly before looking at Denzel who has tears in his eyes.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, baby!" I hug him tightly to my chest like I did the on the first day I met him.

"It's okay. I just-" He lets some tears go loose from the confinements of his eyelids. "-I miss them. Do you miss your family, Tifa?" He pulls back from my arms, smiling at me softly.

"Yes, of course I d- Denzel?"

"Yes?" He is smirking at me now.

"How did you find out about that?" He drops the smirk in favor of scoffing and rolling his eyes.

"Are you kidding me? You are all over the news."

"News?"

"I suggest you don't go out unless you _want _to be found. You aren't exactly someone who blends in with the crowd."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I have to admit that I am kind of offended, I think.

"You are so beautiful. Like, a model kind of beautiful. Almost everyone is looking for you. The men are looking for you to be their girlfriend. You are the new word on the street. Pretty much everyday someone is claiming to be you in order to gain attention from the male population."

"Oh... Thanks?" That was the nicest thing anyone has said to me in a very odd way.

"Can I ask you a question, though?"

"Sure, you can ask me anything."

"Where do babies come from?" I blanch slightly, caught off guard. I am not entirely sure how to answer that question. Should I answer that question? I look at his face. _Oh goodness, he is completely serious._

"Well... um... how should I begin?" I blush slightly before I freeze in confusion. Denzel is currently laughing so hard it looks like he is having an aneurism.

"Relax, relax. I was just kidding. I already know the answer to that one. My _real_ question is why did you leave?"

"Oh, well, that was because at home I was always sad. My mom and dad died nearly a year ago, and I guess I never got over it. Not to mention I am in love with my best friend, and I was really mean to this one guy because he was being mean to my best friend."

"The one you are in love with?"

"That's the one."

"Oh... I'm sorry about your mom and dad, by the way."

"It's okay. I'm sorry about yours." He looks down at the locket and photograph in his hand and smiles slightly.

"It's okay. Can you help me get my mom's necklace on, Tifa?" He holds his hand out in an invitation to take the chain from his hand.

"Sure thing." Carefully I unhinge the hook from the ring and wrap it around his neck before hooking it again.

"Thanks." He says with a large smile.

"No problem." I smile back.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>So yes, here it is; chapter six. This was originally supposed to be over 15,000 words long, but I figured that was _very _insane. So I cut it in half and voila. Here it is. So Denzel and Marlene are introduced in this chapter! To be honest, this was supposed to go a different way so that Tifa finds the locket and finds the person who owns it only to become the nanny, or something of the sort. But then I got to thinking, what if that kid is Denzel? If I have Denzel I need Marlene. But wait! In one of my other stories it is mentioned that Marlene is okay. One thing leads to another and dirty run-down apartment building in the slums of Hollow Bastion is what you get. The names of Denzel's parents are actually Abel and Chloe, and the picture described in the photograph is also real. So, the next part should be out relatively soon considering I am almost done with it anyway. I actually wasn't expecting to be done with this part today, so I guess now it is Happy New Years for real.

**Halcyon Eve: Nope. No hermit-in-the-woods. I figured it would be better for her to go to Hollow Bastion anyway. I am trying to keep them in character to some degree, but some things I am taking advantage of for my own benefit (poetic license?) Her siblings, as shown in this chapter, need her; they all fall apart without her. But she, like you said, needed to get away for a while. Yeah, well, Happy New Years for real this time. I hope 2014 was a good year for you, and that 2015 will be even better!**


	7. Tensions Rising

_**Snow White Queen**_

_I can't believe you'd ask these things of me._

* * *

><p><strong>Sunday October 5th 2014 9:00 am<strong>

"I _told _you not to go out into the rain yesterday." I chastise lightly staring at the sick eight-year-old in front of me. He refused to listen to me however, saying he needed to get out there to get the food and run some other errands because no one else would be able to. Well now I _have _to because there are two sick children in the house that need to be taken care of.

"It's just a cold." He complains, trying to get out of the bed I forcefully tucked him into.

"No. None of that. You need to get to rest. I will go out to get the food today." I try to push him back down lightly onto the bed, but he refuses and begins to push against my hand.

"No, Tifa. I have had colds before. I am fine. I always turn out fine." It may be just a cold, but to me that is a good reason to stay inside and do nothing.

"No. And there is nothing you can do to change my mind. Understand?" He grumbles slightly, but doesn't outright disagree. I smile softly and lean down to peck his forehead. "Good. I will see you later." He nods and closes his eyes, already succumbing to much needed slumber. I smile softly and head to Marlene's room. "Marly, Denzel is sick today, so I am going out. Is there anything you need?" She shakes her head no, turning her head to look at me with drowsy eyes. "Bye baby, I'll see you later. Okay?"

"Okay, Kaylee." She says softly, weakly. I feel like if I touch her she will break. She looks like paper, so frail and so thin.

"I told you, you can call me Tifa now." I gently remind her for the second time.

"Whoops. Sorry." She looks guilty, but I tell her it's okay. With a kiss on her forehead, her very hot forehead, I am out the door.

It is lovely outside today. The city is bustling with life and there is a semi-fresh breeze rushing through. It took some getting used to at first, but now I am used to the city life, many sleepless nights later. Even the air forever stuck with the stench of gasoline and dumpster. I can't picture myself living here for the rest of my life, but I can't leave Denzel and Marlene either. I have actually considered legally adopting both of them; for Denzel it would be easy with him having no parents, but Marlene has a father, one who is searching for her nonetheless. I would go back to Radiant Garden, almost happily, but we can't travel with Marlene in her condition. I feel helpless, and I just wish there were something I could do to help. She is getting worse daily, the changes are noticeable and it is scaring both Denzel and I. I just want-

"Hello, miss! Miss!" A thin man comes running up to me frantically. "Are you lost?" _How strange. He came running up to me to ask if I'm lost? Maybe I look lost._

"No, sir. I am not lost. Why do you ask?" This is very confusing. I take a step back from him before realizing he is holding my wrist in his hand. He has long, bright-as-fire red hair. He looks at me closely for a second before grinning rather largely. _That smirk, and that hair. It is all too familiar._

"No, I do believe you _are _lost, Tifa." I gasp before yanking my hand out of his grip. I finally recognize him. He is a Turk, and not only that, but he is my brother's best friend and partner-in-crime. He is-

"-Reno Sinclair." He smiles even larger at the mention of his name.

"I knew you'd remember me! Now, if you'd be a doll and follow me we'll just take you back to see your brother, and the rest of your family- they've been so sad since your disappearance, by the way- and to your lover, and maybe even a therapist. Who knows!" _Therapist. They think I'm insane. This is exactly why I didn't tell anybody except Cloud and Aerith about the pills! Now he thinks I'm a mental case. I am not a mental case!_ I glare hatefully at the man in front of me whose smile has significantly lessened at my look. Very good, Rude must've told him about my... capabilities.

Mother and father dearest, being the super agents they were, wanted to train all of their children to be like them, excellent fighters with great observation skills. When Rude was born they were excited to have a son. They pushed him the hardest, but he only really excelled in strength. He, much like me, prefers to fight with his fists, although he is trained to use a gun as well. Each child has their own specialty, but with each student there is the shining star, the student who just so happens to have all skills. That child would be me.

"Listen here, and listen her good, _Reno."_ He gulps when I say his name, but stands still, not moving a muscle. His light blue eyes are trained on me to watch my every move. "I am not a mental case, got it?" I smile sweetly at him before turning around quickly and bolting off in the other direction as fast as I can.

"No, Tifa! Wait, damn it!" Curse that damn idiot. At the sound of my name more people turn in my direction to watch me running past. Some even try to grab me as I go, but none are successful thankfully. I continue running through the city I have come to know. Taking shortcuts through alleyways and running down populated streets. All to avoid that damn red head. It doesn't seem to work though as whenever I look behind me he is always there right on my tail. I forgot how fast he can run, which is a shame because he is, in fact, faster than me. Every time I check behind me he is inching closer and closer until I am sure he will catch up to me.

"Alleyway, alleyway. I need an alleyway." I mutter underneath my breath. I can't outrun him, that has been made painfully clear to me, but I can still hope to beat him in combat if I can just find a damn alleyway when I need one. Hollow Bastion is crawling with them! Why can't I find one now? "Alleyway. Come on alleyway. Aha! Found you." I make a sharp right into the opening between the buildings and run all the way until I come across a dead end. _Perfect._

As I lean against the wall to catch my breath real quick, a staticy voice breaks through the air. "Any progress?" That sounds like Rufus. I huff internally. Why can't I just disappear? They had to pull everyone out of their lives to look for me? What about Marlene? If she got this kind of treatment she would be found by now. Reno, who is also catching his breath pulls a walky-talky from his side and holds it close to his face. The button makes a audible clicking sound as he pressed down onto it.

"Yeah, boss. I have her cornered in an alleyway on Melrose Avenue." _Melrose Avenue? That means... Oh shit. I lead them right for the apartment. _I begin to panic now, afraid to have given up Denzel and Marlene after their attempts to stay hidden. All because I fucked up.

"Good. Keep her there. Help is on the way." _Help? What are they, bringing the entire Turk squad? Or maybe they decided to invite the SOLDIER's as well? I'm never getting out of here._

"I don't want to fight you, Lockhart." His face is serious, but his eyes hold remorse. He _really _does not want to fight me, but I have to. As much as I miss my family, I have a new one now. One that needs me far more than my blood family does.

"Then don't. Let me go." I lower myself into fighting position; my hands rise up in front of me in fists as I wait for him to make the first move. He sighs sadly as he reaches his hand down around him to retrieve the rod hanging from his side. Silently I curse myself for having forgot my leather gloves, they would have taken some of the pain away from the electricity that courses through that thing.

"No can do." And with that he charges at me. As soon as he begins running, I run too meeting him at our halfway point. I notice him raising his arm back to aim a strike somewhere at my upper body, but I dodge it by sliding against the rough floor of the alleyway effectively cutting some of my skin, but it too late to worry about that. I quickly stand up as he turns around; we stare at each other for a fraction of a second before charging each other again. This time it is I who strikes, aiming strong punches across his body. I only get one or two across before he dodge rolls away to the side. While on the ground he attempts to trip me with his leg, but I just jump over it. He gets up only to be kicked back down to the ground by me.

Smarter now; he moves away from me before getting up again. He growls and I glare, both of us trying to get the other to quit, but neither of us backing down. He runs at me again and I flip backwards, but he still manages to get my leg with his taser-like weapon. I gasp as the shock travels through my leg, electricity coursing through my body putting me through agonizing pain. I stand up as straight as I can with my leg twitching slightly. He grins madly at this before trying to swat my left arm with his rod. I try to move out of the way, but he ends up clipping me with the rod anyway due to my lame leg. My arm twitches at my side and I grind my teeth together as I try to keep from crying out.

With my right leg down and my left arm useless I try to continue the fight. _I have to win. For Denzel and Marlene. _Rage courses through my body as I gain a sense of purpose. _I must keep them safe. _A hard as I can I throw a wild punch in Reno's direction and manage to get him in the chest. A crack is heard as he flies backwards from the sheer amount of strength I packed into the hit. I get the idea that the crack may just have been his ribs, but I don't plan on stopping to find out. Slowly he stands up, struggling to breath and looking like he is in a lot of pain. I drag myself over to him, standing just close enough to put him down when he surprises me. His arm goes flying out and wraps around my back. The rod digs deep into my spine causing me much pain. The world goes black for a minute as the pure energy runs up and down my spinal column only to spread everywhere else. When I can finally see again, I am on the ground with Reno over me, a smug smile on his face as he looks down on me.

"Time to go home, princess." He is about to call Rufus back on his device when suddenly there is a loud clang and he falls to the ground rather ungracefully beside me. I look up to where he was standing before, only to see Denzel holding a metal frying pan in his hands.

"She is home, bastard." He spits, glaring down at the red-haired man at my side. I try to smile at him only to feel like I am being electrocuted again. "Are you okay, Tifa?" I nod my affirmative before opening my mouth to speak.

"Make sure he has a pulse." He nods and gets to work as I try to adjust myself by moving against the wall. It is extremely hard, but I can. I can feel my heart racing from the continuing shock, as well as see the hairs on my arms stand. I close my eyes as I listen to Denzel hum a sweet tune while he works.

"He has a pulse, I think." I open my eyes to see his forehead scrunched in frustration. His hands are pressed to the side of his neck, applying slight pressure in various areas.

"Good enough for me. Help me get inside." I start inching away from the wall, but cry out in pain as the bleeding cuts on my legs from when I slid on the ground slide against the floor. He hurries to my side, wasting no time in wrapping both arms around my torso to try and help me up. With as much help as I can give him, he gets me up to my feet, and we begin the slow process of heading inside. He allows me to go first, standing behind me and helping by pushing slightly against my backside to get me inside faster. As soon as we are in he goes to help me up instantly, but I stop him. "Reno told him where we were. Close the door first, I can wait." Denzel looks between me and the door quickly before sighing and getting the garbage bin to cover the opening. As soon as that is done he is instantly glued to my side again and we begin the agonizingly slow process of walking up stairs.

It takes way longer than it should, with a lot of grunts of pain and a couple of tears, but we finally arrive at 7A. Denzel helps me to the couch before he even thinks about closing and locking the door. That was the first and only mistake that had to be made for this whole undercover shit to be blown.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here." My head snaps to the side to be met with a face _too _familiar for me to enjoy. Cat like green eyes stare at me in amusement while I lay prone on the couch, having next to no ability to fight back in any way. Very, very, _very_ long silver hair shimmers like the moonlight as the sun hits it through our broken window.

"Denzel, go to your room." I order, not breaking my gaze from Sephiroth. I hear the whimper from the young child who I now regard as my own son.

"But, Tifa-" He whines, sniffling a little bit. He wants to protect me I know he does. He doesn't want to watch me be taken away, but I can't let him be taken either.

"Go, Denzel. I'll come and get you in a minute." He stands still for a few seconds before running down the hall to Marlene's room. "What are you doing here?"

"Nice place you got here." He comments while his face is pinched into one of disgust, not bothering to look around the room as he is only staring into my eyes. His eyes still hold amusement as mine furrow deeper into fury. "Nice kid, too."

"Thanks." I bite, not really caring what he thinks of the children. It's not like he will get to know them very well, or at all really. "What are you doing here?" I repeat harsher this time hoping he will get the hint.

"Oh, you know, a little bird told me you went missing, the town became flooded with the tears of everyone, and being part of SOLDIER I was meant to track you down."

"Good. You found me. Now go." I finish, weakly raising a hand to point at the still open door.

"No can do. By the way, nice touch on the redhead out there. Didn't think you had it in you." He walks towards me more, leaning down to talk my hand in is. He raises my appendage to his lips and presses a warm and rather soft kiss to the back. I try to yank my hand back, but the only good that causes is for my arm to start spasming as my muscle try to respond to stimulation again.

"Go away." I say again, louder this time. I try to sit up, but that just causes spasms to erupt all over my body at once.

"No can do. In fact, I believe I have direct orders to bring you home." The way he says home sounds so enticing to me I almost accept right there, but I have to think about the children. I can not just leave Denzel and Marlene behind, especially not now. They need me and I need them. We have grown to rely on each other.

"I can't do that." I frown, taking notice at how he frowns then too. He kneels down by the couch, not once letting go of my hand even going as far as to lace our fingers together. His face is mere inches from mine and I can smell his minty breath and instantly feel self-conscious. I haven't really had a chance to brush mine in a while. _Oh gosh, I bet it smells awful._

_"_And why can't you, dear?" _Why does everyone keep calling me pet names? Was it an agreement after I 'disappeared' to start calling Tifa random sugar-sweet-honey names?_

"Because I have responsibilities here." I state matter-of-factly. He gives me a look of annoyance before standing up again.

"Bring your 'responsibilities' with you. Easy fix. He would have a better life in Radiant Garden, anyway." A hacking cough sounds from across the apartment like always; sounding worse than it did before. "Sounds like he needs to be admitted to a hospital as soon as possible."

"I know." I snap, before sighing. I close my eyes to rest for only a second when I feel his breath on my face again.

"So? What will it be?"

I growl deep in my throat before attempting to sit up. It is still no use as the effects of the shock are still trying to wear off. "Denzel!" I call, startling Sephiroth much to my amusement.

"Yeah?" He calls back uncertainly.

"Come help me up! We're leaving!" He runs down the hall and back to my side, pushing Sephiroth to the side to get to me.

"We are?" He gasps, looking something between confused and excited, but also very uncertain. I nod my head watching his face as he shuffles between emotions trying to decide which one is what he is actually feeling at the moment. He settles for uncertainty, glancing to his side at Sephiroth and then back at me. "Are you sure?"

I grab his tiny hands into my larger ones and smile. "Yes. We will get Marlene to the hospital. She will get all better." I hear Sephiroth mutter "Marlene?" but I ignore him in favor of trying to convince Denzel.

"But then I'll never see her again." He pouts.

"Oh, sure you will. I'll make sure of it." I try to persuade him. He has grown very close to his adopted sister and I understand why he would be cautious about just letting her go like that.

"I have no where to go." He realizes out loud. His eyes widen quite largely as if it is the first time it has occurred to him that he is without a home.

"Denzel, I want to adopt you. If you will let me." I once again ignore Sephiroth's overdramatic gasp to focus on Denzel's conflicting emotions.

"My parents..." He trails off. I know he doesn't want to forget them and move onto a new family like it is nothing, but no one said anything about forgetting them.

"Your parents will always be your parents. I will be more of a guardian than anything. You won't have to call me mom. I can settle for Tifa just fine." I suggest. He still looks wary, and I don't know if it's about the adoption idea or the whole moving thing in general.

"What about Tony's?" He asks. The boys will be very upset to find out that their little Lady and Tramp have gone missing, as well as Bella Notte as they refer to me as now.

"We can come on weekends, or once a month. Whichever is better." I squeeze his hands tightly in mine, smiling up at him. "What do you say?" After a long pause of debating emotions he smiles back at me.

"Okay."

We smile at each other for a couple of more seconds before I attempt to sit up again. "Denzel, can you help me up. I wonder how long this will last." I mutter the last part to myself as he struggles to get me sitting.

"I can help you." Sephiroth suggests from his spot behind Denzel. He notices the struggle Denzel is having with picking me up despite the fact that I lost a lot of weight during my stay here.

"Denzel's got it." I snap bitterly not wanting to have to rely on the silverette, favoring the idea of relying on my future child much better.

"Tifa?" Denzel pipes up cautiously. I look down at the child, raising an eyebrow in question. "Who is going to carry Marlene?"

"Oh shit. I mean crap." I throw my head against the back of the couch, which causes dust to fly in the air. I sneeze, which causes me to cry out in pain. "Fuck my life. Denzel go get Marlene, and don't shake her around too much. Sephiroth, help me up." Denzel rushes down the hall to help his sister while Sephiroth glides to my side to offer his assistance. As soon as I realize he is going to attempt to carry me I push against his chest. "I just need assistance."

"It would be faster if I carry you." He deadpans, looking me straight in the eye as he says it. We stare into each other's eyes, fighting for dominance to see who caves first. It wasn't too long before I just give up and give him to go ahead. Swiftly he swoops me up into his arm, carrying me bridal style to my great annoyance.

"How far is your car?" I ask with little to no emotion in my voice.

"Around the corner." He says simply. I nod resting my head against his chest, overly tired from today's events. There is something nagging at the back of my mind. Something important. There is only one thing important in this entire apartment building. The most prized possession. What is it? _Think. Think. Think._

"The photograph!" I jolt away from his chest, scaring him for the second time today.

"The what?" He asks stupidly, blinking in confusion.

"The photograph. Go to Denzel's room." I bounce up in down in his arms making him lose some of his grip on me.

"Okay, stop it. Which one is Denzel's?"

"That one." I point to the room furthest down the hall. He sets me down on the couch before going to retrieve it. Not a moment later he is returning with the broken frame in hand.

"This one?" He asks, handing it off to me so I can get a good look at it.

"Perfect." I smile, tracing the people in the picture with my thumb. Without saying a word, Sephiroth picks me up again, carrying me like he was before. My head lolls to the side against his chest again and I can't help but think that his physique is not that bad compared to a lot of guys out there. In fact, he is very well built if I should say so. "Denzel! Are you okay?" I call out again, softer this time so I don't scare Sephiroth into dropping me.

"Yeah, just making sure I don't walk out on you two having sex on the floor!" He calls back smoothly, walking out of Marlene's room carrying his sister in his arms securely. The two of them laugh while I tell them it isn't funny. Sephiroth is being oddly quiet, in fact the only sound I hear from him is the soft hitch in his breath and the accelerated heart beat.

"Okay, then. Let's go." I say, Sephiroth having already been walking through the door without having to be told twice.

"Too light." I hear him mutter under his breath, and I figure he is referring to the sun, or something.

"What?" I ask softly, looking up at him calmly. He looks down at me for a second before glancing back upwards.

"Nothing." He says, so I decide to let it go. He carries me all the way down the stairs and to the door, but since he absolutely _refuses _to let my crawl on my own he attempts to crawl through the opening me with me in his arms still. As soon as we get outside we wait for Denzel and Marlene to catch up to us when I notice something.

"Where's Reno?" I ask looking at the spot he used to lie. The fight wasn't that long ago, was it?

"Someone came to pick him up. Rude I think." _Why didn't Rude come up to see me instead? _Nervous feelings begin to bubble up in my stomach and up to my heart. How am I supposed to confront my family now? Rude especially. Rude is going to be pissed off as soon as he sees me. Lulu will never forgive me, heck, none of them will. With my luck even Yuffie will turn on me. And Cloud? This whole 'vacation' I haven't really thought about him much and I feel a little guilty. I wonder how he has been since I left. "We're here." He says. I look around surprised. When did we start moving again? He moves me around to the passenger side of the silver convertible and buckles me in for me despite my loud protests. The children get in the back seats buckling themselves in quietly before snuggling into the cushions. Marlene closes her eyes instantly and Denzel looks like he is trying to fight it.

"It'll be a little bit of a ride." He states from beside me, getting his car into gear before moving along with the rest of the cars. "Radiant Garden and Hollow Bastion are very close, but there is a lot of traffic in this city."

"Okay." I wiggle my fingers and toes, excited to see I have already gained feeling back in those parts. I go through my entire body, testing each limb only to find my legs in general are still having slight problems.

"You know, everyone is teaming against you on this."

"On what?"

"On the fact that they all believe you need to go to therapy." I roll my eyes, and protest loudly in my head.

"I don't want to." I mutter stubbornly, crossing my arms across my chest securely.

"It's pretty much guaranteed that you have to." I groan, but decide not to fight against it now. It is no use to fight someone who has no power to do anything about it anyway. "Are you serious about adopting the boy?"

"Yes." I say, glaring out the side window like a child. The traffic here is awful, so bad that the cars aren't even moving, just kind of sitting in place. Horns are blaring from everywhere on the street accompanied by the screams of their passengers. This part of Hollow Bastion is not my favorite.

"You do realize that you are eighteen, correct?" He tries to turn his head to glance at me, but I don't make eye contact, preferring to gaze out the window even though there is nothing interesting there. I clench and unclench my legs to start getting motion running through them again.

"So? I'm legal." It comes out more of a huff than I wanted it to. Really, I am acting like a huge child right now.

"You don't even have your own place." He tries to reason.

"I could get one if I wanted to." I snap back. He is silent momentarily, lost in thought.

"Well... If you ever want a place to stay... I can offer up a room or three. One for each of you." He offers hesitantly.

"Thanks, but no thanks. Denzel can stay with me, but Marlene is going back to her father. I have everything under control." I promise before sinking back into my own thoughts. Worry about my family comes to mind faster than I anticipate and I am left to the same thoughts I left behind before. _How will I confront them?_

"If you're worried about your family, don't be. They miss you a lot."

"What?" I ask dumbly. _How did he know what I was thinking?_

"You started mumbling something about confronting them. I just assumed you were talking about family."

"Oh."

"You know, Rude really wanted to be the one to come up and see you."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I suggested it would be better if I went up instead and he looked like he wanted to fight me." He chuckles lowly before moving the car up a bit more as the traffic moves forward. I nod my head tiredly, resting it against the cool glass of the window. "Go to sleep. We have a long car ride to go." I don't fight back, submitting to glorious unconsciousness.

* * *

><p><strong>Sunday October 5th 2014 2:52 pm<strong>

"Tifa. We're here." I am being softly shaken awake and the voice of a man very familiar drifts through my hypersensitive ears. I startle slightly before opening my eyes to a half-lidded state to see we are in front of a large white house with groomed gardens surrounding it.

"Why're we at your place?" I slur deliriously, blinking hard to try to wash the sleep out. My foggy mind can only think about the house and why we are here.

"We have decided to hold the meeting here." He states evenly, looking at me warily as if I might disappear again in the blink of an eye.

"Meeting?" I mumble to myself before unbuckling my seat belt and opening my door. I shift over in my seat to let my feet dangle out the side. The fresh, chilly air hits me hard and I am suddenly completely awake. I take a deep breath as the fresh, open, unused air of Radiant Garden overwhelms me. _Ah, roses._

"Can you walk?" He asks suddenly, and I am brought out of the peaceful dream-like state I entered. I frown and swing my legs back and forth outside. _Seems like it._

I nod once. "I think so." Slowly I push myself off the seat and onto the ground, making sure to support myself with my arms so my legs don't pass out from shock. Once I am on my feet completely, I close the door quietly behind me and make my way to the opposite side of the car where Marlene rests. "Get Denzel." I command him, but instead of fighting back he just nods his head and starts unbuckling my almost son. I try not to jostle Marlene around too much, she's sick as she is. I slide her gently out of the car and into my arms. Once she is safe in my arms I softly close the door behind me, and walk back around the car to stand near Sephiroth.

"Ready?" He asks while cradling a sleeping Denzel in his arms much like he was holding me before. Looking down at Marlene, I see her soft angelic face that is as white as snow now. Her breathing is shallow and short, accompanied with small whimpers every time she takes a deep breath. My heart breaks and I feel like crying, but I don't. Now is not the time. I look back up at Sephiroth and nod again with a small, weak smile.

"Ready." We walk up to the house slowly, speed reduced to the children slumbering in our arms and my still weak legs. Not to mention the nerves are getting to me. He takes the doorknob in his hand and twists it while still balancing Denzel before nudging it open with his body. He holds the door open for me so I walk through and wait for him to close the door behind him.

"We're going to lay these two down on my bed first, okay?" He asks from behind me, startling me slightly, but I nod and follow him up two staircases and down the hall. At the end of the hall there lay a beautifully crafted door with two dragons staring into each other's eyes menacingly, both with fire dripping out of their open mouths. His hand covers the golden knob as he once again twists it open. If I thought the door was impressive than I have never seen his room, which I never have.

His room is very large and quite dark, but glows a very ethereal and gothic hue when the lights are turned on. The hardwood floor is the color of dark mahogany and and a thick black carpet covers some of it. There is a raised portion of the floor, only one step up, which is where the bed is held. The bed is dressed in dark black comforter with red sheets and red pillows. The canopy over the bed and the curtains are also red. The walls are painted black to match the rest of the theme. "Watch your step." He warns me as I bring Marlene closer to the bed. Cautiously I step up and lay her on the king-sized bed next to her brother. She sinks down as soon as I put her on and it seems almost like the bed is going to eat her. In her sleep I hear her sigh comfortably before going silent again. "Come on. Everyone is waiting." He holds his arm out, beckoning me out to the hall again. I don't even remember seeing him move.

I leave the room, softly shutting the door behind me so they can get some peaceful sleep alone together. Sephiroth and I walk down the stairs together in a comfortable silence, weaving throughout some of the rooms on the first floor of his house until we are standing outside the door leading to his sunroom. He slides the door open for me to go through first. I take a deep breath before nodding my head and stepping through. I am hardly in the room for five seconds before someone shouts, "Tifa!" and launches into my arms. I laugh quietly, tears coming to my eyes as I run my hands through the short ebony hair of my sister.

"Hi, Yuffie." She wraps her legs around my waist and buries her face into the spot between my neck and my shoulder. I bury my face into her hair and inhale deeply. Her hair smells like vanilla, like always, and it takes me all the way back home. She cries into my neck while I cry into her hair, struggling to keep my hold on her. Normally I would be able to hold her like I am right now without a problem, but it seems that I have lost some of my strength during my stay in Hollow Bastion. She begins to slip out of my grasp, but I struggle to hold her tighter. I lean back more to keep her on me, but end up leaning back a little to far and I myself begin to fall. If it weren't for the hand on my back I would have surely ended up on the floor. "Thanks, Seph." I snuggle more into my sister, not once sparing a glance back, but automatically knowing it was Sephiroth who saved me.

Yuffie finally lets go of me and touches her feet to the ground again. She wipes softly at her eyes that are still leaking fresh tears. "You bitch." She whimpers softly, hugging herself tightly around her stomach. It shocks me to actually see Yuffie cry. She is the one who always makes sure everyone else is happy. She never cries. More tears fall down my face when I realize just how much my leaving must have affected everyone.

"I'm so sorry." I cry out loud, covering my eyes with the palms of my hands. Suddenly a very familiar warm body is pressed against mine as it wraps its arms around me, and I wrap mine around his neck and bury my face into his shoulder. The smell of sandalwood envelops me and I cry harder at the long missed familiarity. "I'm so sorry, Rude." He leans down to mumble soothing words into my ear, telling me its okay and that they have all forgiven me. "Am I in trouble?" I ask softly afraid that I already know the answer.

"So much trouble." He says as he kisses my forehead gently. "But, we'll save that for later." He lets go of me despite him obviously not wanting to. I go through all of my siblings, each one making me more emotional than the last, especially when it comes to Shiki and Lulu. Both look so broken and unsure that it makes me want to rip my heart out, it just hurts that much. However, when I see Cloud I can't even meet his eye.

He walks over to me with absolutely no emotion anywhere on his face. His eyes are cold and uncaring just like the rest of him. He stands in front of me and crosses his arms over his chest, glaring down into my eyes even though I refuse to meet his gaze. "Tifa." He growls harshly, causing more tears to slip down the sides of my face and land on my stained shirt.

"I'm so sorry, Cloud." I whisper, terrified that I might have just wrecked the friendship I was trying so hard to preserve. At this moment, him glaring down at me and me refusing to meet his eye, basically tells me he hates me. "You hate me." I whimper, still whispering. I glance to the side to see everyone trying to act like they aren't listening in, even though I can clearly see them leaning in closer to be able to hear me.

"Look at me." I glance finally, looking up into the eyes of my best friend, his eyes no longer cold, but instead rather hollow and broken. "I don't hate you, Tifa. Never did, never will. Got it?" I close my eyes, causing even more tears to slide down my face. I nod my head before craning my neck downwards to rest my head on his chest. His arms wrap protectively around me almost afraid to let me go. I keep my arms down, especially considering that they are now trapped tight against my sides. "I was so worried." His voice cracks making him sound almost as broken as his eyes are.

"I'm sorry," I repeat again, "I didn't think anybody would care."

"I care." He says before hugging me tighter against his chest. And just like before, I cry, and just like before he comforts me. I don't know how long we stay like that, but I don't care. It seems like an eternity before we finally let each other go so I can go through the exact same process with Aerith. She is softer with me, and much more comforting than the others.

"You should've come to us when you first started hearing those voices again." She says so sweetly that it makes me feel like I am being held by a mother again. "We were all so worried."

"I know. I'm so so sorry." And just like Cloud and I did before, we hug, and again I have no idea how much time passes before we break apart.

"Long time, no see, Kiddo." A hand claps down onto my shoulder softly, but enough to actually jolt my body a little bit from the added pressure. I turn around to see fiery red hair encased underneath a large white bandage. I just gape largely at Reno, reaching my hands up to dust my fingers across the surface of the bandage. "What? This?" He asks, pointing at the wrap with a large and proud smile on my face. "Don't know how you did it, but you got me really good. Rudy here found me laying on the ground outside the building we found you in. 'Parently you hit me hard enough to draw blood. No crack in the skull, though. Got a thick one." He raps against the side of his head with his fist for emphasis.

"That wasn't me. That was Denzel." I ignore his confusion and muttering of the child's name before running my feather-light fingers down his chest. "How are your ribs?" I remember hearing a crack when I hit him in the chest before and he went flying. I just hope I didn't break anything.

"Hmm? Oh, you just cracked them. Have to hand it to you, little lady, you are a lot more tough than Rude-face says you are." I hear my brother growl at the nicknames, but otherwise he lets it go.

"Thanks, I think?"

"No problem!"

"Hey, so guys? Are we going to do this meeting, or what?" Yuffie jumps in impatiently tapping her foot while her hands rest at her hips.

"Sure, just find a seat anywhere." Sephiroth says, walking over to one of the pieces of whicker furniture in the sunroom. After moving around some I am sitting in between Yuffie and Rude with Lulu on my lap and Gladiolus trying to squeeze in between Rude and I. "Shall we get started?"

"What even is this meeting about?" I ask, wrapping my arms around my little sister because she started squirming to get comfortable.

"Well to start it off," Rude begins, "Tifa, we all agree that you need to go to therapy. Frankly we are all quite upset that you didn't tell anybody about the depression pills."

"That's not entirely true," Aerith cuts in, "Both Cloud and I knew. We have been consoling her. She just recently decided not to tell us she was retrogressing." She finishes with a fake glare in my direction, meaning to be playful, but I feel guilty anyway.

"I really do not wish to see a therapist." I say while everyone else seems to be bickering at whom I did and didn't tell about my problem.

"But, Tifa," Yuffie whines, "we need to do something to help you."

"I don't need help! I think." I mumble the last part to myself. "I am actually doing a lot better since I left. I met Denzel and Marlene and, I don't know, they make me happy."

"Do we not make you happy, Tifa?" Tseng asks, folding his arms bitterly.

"No! Of course you do! Look, can we see how I do without a therapist first?"

"Didn't we _just _go through that?" Tseng grits out.

"No! Well, yes... Not really? I don't know." I hang my head in disappointment.

"I guess we can try one more time _if_ you tell us when you aren't thinking right." Rude finishes cautiously. Glancing around the room through tinted lenses.

"_What?" _Tseng yells out in shock.

"It'll be fine, Tseng. I don't see what the big deal is."

"The big deal is this is our little sister we're talking about! Don't you want her to get the help she needs?"

"Of course I do! But if she doesn't want to go, she shouldn't have to be forced to go."

"I just want her to be happy again, don't you?" Tseng says, voice dropping an octave, as he looks remorseful.

"Of course I do. She said it herself. She will not be happy in therapy." The room becomes extremely quiet for what feels like an eternity, when really only a couple of minutes have passed. Nobody says a word as Rude and Tseng stare at each other intensely. It's a heated battle between both of my older brothers and neither seem to be backing down, well, at least until Tseng glances down to his side.

"Fine." He mumbles under his breath, but due to the extreme silence in the room we can all hear him crystal clear.

"Is that all we came here to say?" I ask uncertainly. Surely there would be more to say, right? Would we really meet here just for that?

"Would you like to discuss matter of punishment now? Because I really have no idea what to do. You have never really done anything wrong, and I need some creative suggestions." Rude says as he scratches his hairy chin in thought. I blush in embarrassment, glaring at my older brother for having even brought it up. He turns his head towards me seeing I am looking at him and then smiling an evil grin.

"No thanks, Rude." I growl.

"I mean, I could always stick you on Reno. That's punishment enough." He ponder jokingly, avoiding eye contact with his best friend for obvious reasons.

"Hey! Not cool, yo!" He cries out in outrage. Standing up from his seat he looks like he wants to tackle him right there. I haven't seen the two of them together in a while, and now that they are picking fun at each other it makes me laugh. I forgot just how much they look like a married couple. I have always had suspicions about their relationship; it feels like they are more than friends. The way I see it, Reno is very much in love with Rude, and Rude doesn't know it. I do believe Rude loves him back, but doesn't know that yet either.

"What? Oh, I'm sorry. Did that offend you?" He teases, making it very hard for Reno to contain himself instead of tackling Rude right then and there like he so obviously wants to do. It's quite funny how Reno is still very obviously injured, and shouldn't do anything too physical for a while, but the only reason he isn't attacking my brother like he wishes to do is because he doesn't want to hurt Gladiolus who is sitting next to Rude.

"Actually, I think Tifa wants to say something. Don't you, Tifa?" Green eyes become fixed on mine and I am left wondering what exactly he is talking about before I remember.

"Oh, right! So, how do I begin? During my little 'escapade' I met these two really great kids, and they were living all alone. The little girl was very sick and the boy was trying very hard to take care of the both of them. They invited me to stay with them, which was very nice of them to do, just keep that in mind. So, um, the little girl has pneumonia, I think, which is very bad, and it is only getting worse, so I need to get her to the hospital. But, the little boy, Denzel, what a cutie, I kind of maybe want to adopt him?

He has no parents! They died a while ago, and he has nowhere else to go. I really want to- no, need to take him in. It is only fair considering he took me in." I look around the room at the mixed expressions on everyone's faces. Mostly shock, but only a couple are wary.

"Are you sure, Tifa? I know you are used to taking care of your siblings, but this will be something else. Are you really ready to be a mom?" Aerith finally pipes up, expressing her concern for the situation.

"Yes, I am sure." I reply fully confident in my decision.

"I guess we can't really stop you." Rude says slowly, testing the words before they come out of his mouth. "You are eighteen and technically allowed to adopt. I just have one question."

"Yes?" I ask uncertain what he might ask about.

"What about the little girl you mentioned?" He asks confusion clear on his face.

"Oh, about that. Remember on the news not too long ago there was a missing child report for Marlene Wallace, Barret Wallace's daughter?"

"Yes?" He says slowly, silently asking me to go on.

I offer a large sheepish smile. "Found her."

"What? Really? We have been looking for her for a while now!" Reno jumps in, clearly in shock that he was so close to finding her just earlier today and yet he just missed her.

"Yes, but like I said before, she is very sick. She has to get to the hospital as soon as possible."

"Well then what are we waiting for? Let's get her to the hospital!" Yuffie jumps up from her spot next to me excitedly, almost knocking into both Lulu and I.

"I'll drive her." Cloud offers, the first time he has spoken up during the whole meeting.

"I'll come with you, if that is okay." I look over to Cloud for a sign of approval, and I get one in the form of a nod.

"I am going to call Barret and tell him the news." Reno says lazily from his chair, already reaching into his pocket for his phone.

"I'm going to chauffeur this idiot around to make sure he doesn't fall and hit his head on a brick." Rude says, thrusting a thumb in the direction of the redhead who gives a very offended, "hey!"

"I guess I'll drive you guys home." Tseng glances at all of our siblings tiredly for a moment.

"Denzel will come with us if you don't mind, Cloud. He grew quite fond of his sister." Cloud shrugs his shoulders before glaring at me. I squirm in my seat in anxiety, wondering just how mad at me his is. He continues glaring before he gets up and walks to my side. He takes my arm in his hand and holds it close to his face, still glaring, before he yanks me up altogether. I crash into his chest to my surprise, usually I am more balanced and coordinated, and quite frankly _stronger _than this.

"You lost weight." He utters bitterly. Carefully, as if I am a porcelain doll, he grabs me by my hips and lifts me in the air rather easily. _Too _easily. "Too much weight. Have you been eating?" His words sound bitter still, knowing he will not like the answer I will say.

"Enough." I retort angrily, not really wanting to have this conversation now.

"Tifa." He growls at me, matching my anger.

"Cloud." I grit out, speaking through my teeth. "We'll talk about this later. Kay?" I begin to walk away, out of the sunroom completely. I start maneuvering through the rooms like I saw Sephiroth do before, before I come across my first staircase and I begin the ascent. I hear the heavy footsteps behind me telling me that Cloud is trailing not too far behind. We don't say anything to each other, even as we reach the door with the dragon design and I push through.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>Chapter for the beginning of the new year! So the story is coming along now, I can picture it now. The Sephiroth and Tifa loving is coming up soon enough, nobody worry. Although nobody is probably worried, because nobody reads these comments anyway. Thank you to those who actually find an interest in this story, it really warms my heart. I hope I wrote the fight scenes well enough; I'm not really good at fast action kind of stuff. And what about Tifa adopting Denzel? I was kind of going with Advent Children when I wrote this. Cloud and Tifa have legal guardianship over Denzel and Marlene, and Marlene does have Barret Wallace as her father. However, it is Denzel who is supposed to be sick with geostigma, not Marlene with pneumonia. Doesn't really matter though, I have a creative license. I can do whatever I want, to some degree. Kind of. Maybe. Only a little bit. Not really. Well, okay then! Hope you guys enjoy the chapter and I'll see you again next one.


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